<j*uyv'w 


1 1 

i 


i    ^J\i^l 


SERIES 


or 


LECTURES, 


DELIVERED    IN 


PAKE   STREET    CHURCH, 


BOSTON, 


SABBATH     EVENING. 


BY  EDWARD  D.  GRIFFIN,  D.D. 

PASTOR  OF  PARK  STREET  CHURCH, 


SECOND    EDITION. 


BOSTON : 

PRINTED    BY    NATHANIEL    WILLIS,    76,    STATE    STREET. 
SOLD    BT    S.    T.  AR.M.STJlONt;,    50,    CORNUILL, 

181,3. 


[L.  S.J  District  of  Massachusetts,  to  iuit  :         District  Cleric's  Office. 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  that  on  the  tenth  day  of  May,  A.  D.  I813,  and  in  the  thirty-seventh 
■year  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  Nathaniel  Willis,  of  the  said  District,  has 
deposited  in  this  Office  the  title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  Proprietor,  in  the  words 
following,  to  wit  :  "  A  Series  of  Lectures,  delivered  in  Park  Street  Church,  Boston,  on  Sabbath  Even- 
ing. By  Edward  D.  Griffin,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  Park  Street  Church."  In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  intitled,  "An  Act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the 
copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  Copies,  during  the  times  there- 
in mentioned;"  and  also  to  an  Act  entitled,  "An  Act  Supplementary  to  an  Act,  entitled,  an  Act  for  the 
encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the  Authors  and  Pro- 
prietors of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned ;  and  extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the 
arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  historical  and  other  prints." 

WM.  S.  SHAW,  Ckrk  of  the  Diilrict  tf  Maisachwel'ti. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Dedication 5 

LECTURE  I. 
Total  Depravity 9 

LECTURE  II. 
Same  Subject  continued 31 

LECTURE  III. 
Men  with  natural  affections,  but  without  holiness  61 

LECTURE  IV. 
Men  love  God  supremely  or  are  His  enemies      91 

LECTURE  V. 
Regeneration  not  progressive      .      ...     Ill 

LECTURE  VI. 
Regeneration  supernatural 1-37 


LECTURE  VII. 

Page 

The  Means  of  Grace .187 

LECTURE  VIII. 
Same  Subject  continued 189 

LECTURE  IX. 
Election        215 

LECTURE  X. 

The  plea  of  Inability  considered       •     .     .     24*5 

LECTURE  XI. 

The  Perseverance  of  Saints 27  i 

LECTURE  XII. 

The  System  confirmed  and  applied       .     .     29B 


TO  THE  CONGREGATION  WHO  SUPPORT  THE  LECTURE  IN 
PARK  STREET  CHURCH  ON  SABBATH  EVENING. 


MY    DEAR    FRIENDS, 


In  dedicating  to  you  a  series  of  Discourses  prepared  for 
your  benefit,  and  now  published  at  the  request  of  a  very  re- 
spectable portion  of  you,  I  think  I  am  prompted  no  less  by 
propriety  than  feeling.  Though  many  of  you  do  not  belong 
to  my  particular  charge,  the  Lecture  which  you  have  con- 
tributed to  maintain  is  your  own,  and  these  fruits  of  it  are 
your  own.  I  am  glad  also  to  have  this  opportunity  to  ex- 
press my  gratitude  for  the  liberality  and  candour  with  which 
you  have  supported  that  Exercise,  and  statedly  listened  to 
the  expositions  there  attempted.  As  a  distinct  expression  of 
this  sentiment  I  commit  these  plain,  unadorned  Discourses 
which  you  have  caused  to  be  preached,  to  your  patronage 
and  protection,  while  in  a  higher  sense  I  commend  them  to 
the  favour  and  gracious  protection  of  God. 


VI 


Should  strangers  chance  to  cast  an  eye  on  the  following 
pages,  they  will  probably  regard  them  with  various  feelings ; 
but  you,  my  brethren,  will  certainly  read  them  with  candour 
and  kindness,  and  especially  the  numerous  proofs  adduced 
from  the  Word  of  God.  On  these  I  beseech  you  to  ponder 
with  deep  and  solemn  attention  and  with  many  prayers. 
By  the  Book  which  furnishes  these  proofs  we  must  all  be 
judged  in  the  Day  that  shall  decide  the  eternal  destinies  of 
men.  He  is  an  infidel  who  will  not  suffer  that  volume  abso- 
lutely to  govern  his  faith,  in  spite  of  preconceived  opinions 
or  present  reasonings.  It  was  to  be  expected  that  a  Reve- 
lation of  the  Infinite  God  would  rise  above  the  blinded 
reason  of  man.  "  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  nei- 
ther are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord  ;  for  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher 
than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts." 
Whoever  sits  down  to  these  sheets  with  a  proud  determina- 
tion, whatever  the  Scriptures  may  decide,  to  think  for  him- 
self, will  be  likely  to  rise  with  his  old  opinions.  But  the 
man  who  enters  on  the  investigation  with  humility  and  pray- 
er, will  be  guided  into  all  truth,  whether  he  finds  it  in  these 
pages  or  not.  If  any  reader  is  resolved  not  to  bowr  implicit- 
ly to  the  Word  of  God,  I  beseech  him  to  close  the  book  here. 

Should  any  of  you  be  tempted  to  think  that  some  parts 
of  this  exposition  are  too  much  against  you,  before  you  de- 
cide recollect  that  you  are  &  party  concerned. 

In  these  Discourses  you  will  find  no  reasonings  on 
points  foreign  to  godliness, — no  theories  about  the  origin 


VII 

of  sin, — no  challenge  for  a  conditional  consent  to  be 
damned, — no  perplexing  speculations  about  taste  and  ex- 
ercise 5  (in  saying  this  I  intend  no  reflection  on  a  body  of 
men,  whom,  notwithstanding  their  speculations  on  these 
points,  I  venerate  and  love  ;)  but  you  will  find  the  funda- 
mental and  practical  truths  of  our  holy  religion,  a  simple 
defence  of  the  faith  of  our  fathers.  In  expressing  my  own 
views  of  truth  I  have  had  no  wish  to  give  offence  or  pain 
to  others.  I  have  spoken  plainly  as  time  and  circumstances 
seemed  to  require,  and  expect  to  have  my  motives  re-exa- 
mined at  a  tribunal  from  which  there  is  no  appeal.  If  I 
have  censured  without  the  gentleness  of  the  Christian  spirit, 
may  God  forgive ;  if  with  right  views  and  feelings,  to  Him 
be  the  praise. 

My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  is,  that  even  these 
Discourses  may  prove  of  some  advantage  to  you  and  your 
children. 

I  am, 

Dear  Brethren, 

With  affectionate  respect. 

Your  brother  and  servant  in  the  Lord. 

EDWARD  D,  GRIFFIN. 

Boston,  March  26,  18i3, 


LECTURE  I 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 


GENESIS  VI.  5. 

AND  GOD  SAW  THAT  THE  WICKEDNESS  OF  MAN  WAS  GREAT  IN  THE  EAHTE, 
AND  THAT  EVERT  IMAGINATION  OF  THE  THOUGHTS  OF  HIS  HEART  WAS 
ONEY    EVIL    CONTINUALLY. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  whole  antedilu- 
vian world,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  family. 
And  unless  human  nature  is  essentially  changed, 
such  is  the  character,  with  the  exception  of  those 
who  are  renewed  by  grace,  of  the  whole  modern 
world.  But  human  nature  is  not  changed.  It  ne- 
ver was  tainted  with  any  thing  worse  than  inordi- 
nate self-love ;  it  is  tainted  with  that  still.  The 
nature  of  man,  like  that  of  other  animals,  remains 
essentially  the  same  in  every  period  and  condition. 
'•'As  in  water  face  answereth  to  face,  so  the  heart 
of  man  to  man."*  Different  restraints  may  be  im- 
posed, by  light,  by  example,  by  civilized  habits, 
by  divine  and  human  laws,  by  motives  growing  out 
of  peculiar  circumstances,  by  more  or  less  activity 
in  the  social  affections  ;  but  till  a  new  nature  is  im- 

*  ProY,  xxvii  W. 


10  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  I. 

planted,  selfishness  gives  essentially  the  same  form 
in  the  sight  of  God  to  every  human  character.  He 
that  only  "  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer ;'?  he 
that  cherishes  an  impure  desire  is  an  adulterer;  he 
that  covets  is  an  idolater.*  In  this  polluted  prin- 
ciple lurk  the  seeds  of  all  sin ;  and  where  nothing 
else  of  a  moral  nature  exists,  as  in  all  cases  where 
"true  holiness"  is  wanting,  it  constitutes  the  whole 
character  in  the  sight  of  God.  Of  course  the  cha- 
racter of  all  unholy  men,  however  variously  com- 
pressed by  restraints,  is  specifically  the  same. 

What  then  does  our  text  affirm  of  all  unsancti- 
fied  men?  That  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
of  their  heart  is  only  evil  continually.  Language 
could  not  more  fully  or  plainly  assert  that  funda- 
mental doctrine  of  our  holy  religion  which  1  shall 
lay  at  the  foundation  of  these  Lectures,  that  man- 
Jcind  by  nature  are  totally  depraved. 

But  what  is  meant  by  Total  Depravity  ?  Not 
that  men  are  as  bad  as  they  can  be  ;  for  in  general 
they  lie  under  strong  restraints.  Not  that  they  are 
all  equally  wicked ;  for  some  are  more  restrained 
than  others.  Not  that  they  are  destitute  of  every 
thing  useful  and  lovely  in  society;  their  humanity 
and  social  affections  are  decidedly  of  this  charac- 
ter. Not  that  the  form  of  their  actions  is  always 
wrong;  the  contrary  is  manifestly  true.  It  is  on- 
ly meant  that  they  are  utterly  destitute  of  holiness, 
and  of  course  are  sinful  so  far  as  their  feelings  and 

*  Mat,  v.  28.    EpU.  v.  5.    Col.  iii.  5.    1  John  iii.  15. 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  11 

actions  partake  of  a  moral  nature.  It  certainly  is 
not  meant  that  they  are  necessarily  inclined  to  evil 
without  the  power  of  resistance.  They  possess 
ample  power,  and  in  all  their  wickedness  are  vo- 
luntary and  free. 

This  is  the  precise  shape  of  the  doctrine  to  he. 
supported.  The  principal  arguments  on  which  it 
rests  will  he  detailed  in  this  and  the  three  follow- 
ing Lectures. 

Argument  T.  By  the  first  creation  or  birth  m an- 
kind  are  united  to  the  first  Adam,  and  inherit  the 
character  which  he  possessed  immediately  after  the 
fall,  until  by  a  second  creation  or  birth  they  are 
united  to  the  Second  Adam,  and  become  partakers 
of  His  holiness. — It  is  necessary  to  view  this  ar- 
gument by  parts. 

I.  Depravity  is  derived  from  Adam.  This 
is  proved, 

(1.)  From  the  universal  depravity  of  man. 
"God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and  behold  it  was  cor- 
rupt, for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way."  "  The 
Lord  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the  children 
of  men  to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  under- 
stand and  seek  God.  They  are  all  gone  aside; 
they  are  together  become  filthy ;  there  is  none  that 
doth  good,  no  not  one,"  "  We  have  before  prov- 
ed both  Jews  and  Gentiles  that  they  are  all  under 
sin;  as  it  is  written,  There  in  none  righteous,  no 
not  one :  there  is  none  that  understandeth ;  there 
is  none  that  secketh  after  God.     They  are  all  gone 


1&  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.       [LECT,  1. 

out  of  the  way  ;  they  are  together  become  unprofit- 
able; there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no  not  one.— 
Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no 
jleslihv  justified,"  "The  Scripture  hath  conclu- 
ded all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that  believe,"  "  If 
we  say  that  we  have  no  sin  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us. — If  we  say  that  we  have 
not  sinned  we  make  Him  a  liar,  and  His  word  is 
not  in  us."  God  "  now  commandeth  all  men  every 
where  to  repentJ'* 

So  deeply  is  sin  rooted  in  the  human  heart  that 
the  continued  struggles  of  the  best  men,  with  all 
the  means  and  aids  derived  from  heaven,  have  ne- 
ver prevailed  in  a  single  instance  to  eradicate  it  en- 
tirely.  "Who  can  say,  I  have  made  my  heart 
clean,  I  am  pure  from  my  sin?"  "  There  is  not  a 
just  man  upon  earth  that  doth  good  and  sinneth  not." 
"  In  many  things  we  offend  all."  "  For  there  is 
no  man  that  sinneth  not."f 

Now  here  is  a  wonder  (o  be  accounted  for,- — sin 
tainting  every  individual  of  Adam's  race,  in  every 
age,  country,  and  condition,  and  surviving  in  every 
heart  all  exertions  to  destroy  it.  One  would  think 
this  might  prove,  if  any  thing  could  prove,  that  sin 
belongs  to  the  nature  of  man  as  much  as  reason 
or  speech,  (though  m  a  sense  altogether  compatible 

*  Gen.  vi.  12.  Ps.  xiv.  2,  3.  and  cxxx.  3.  Acts  xvii.  30.  Rom.  LiV. 
9—12,  20.  Gal.  iii.  22.  1  John  i.  8.  10.  J  1  Kings  viii.  46.  Frov,. 
xx.  9.    Eccl.  vii.  20.     James  iii.  2. 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  13 

with  blame,*)  and  must  be  derived,  like  oilier  uni- 
versal attributes  of  our  nature,  from  the  original 
parent, — propagated  precisely  like  reason  or 
speech,  (neither  of  which  is  exercised  at  first,) — 
propagated  like  many  other  propensities,  mental  as 
well  as  bodily,  which  certainly  are  inherited  from 
parents, — propagated  like  the  noxious  nature  of 
other  animals.  If  the  phenomenon  is  not  account- 
ed for  in  this  natural  and  easy  way,  so  analogous 
to  that  great  law  by  which  all  animals  propagate 
their  kinds  and  their  dispositions,  it  must  remain 
to  the  end  of  the  world  an  unsolvible  mystery.  I 
prove  the  derivation  of  sin  from  Adam, 

(2.)  From  the  fact  that  mankind  are  born  de- 
praved. 

Whether  the  depravity  of  infants  consists  in 
exercises  or  disposition,  or  whether  from  the  first 
or  at  what  age  they  begin  actually  to  sin,  I  shall 
by  no  means  allow  myself  to  inquire.  Without 
denying  what  others  may  choose  to  assert  on  these 
points,  all  that  I  can  feel  authorized  to  say  is,  that, 
as  the  young  lion  is  born  not  an  elephant,  but  with 
a  carnivorous  nature,  though  he  docs  not  at  first 
feed  on  flesh ;  and  as  the  serpent  is  not  a  dove,  but 
possesses  a  poisonous  nature,  while  yet  in  the  egg ; 
and  both  will  certainly  act  out  their  peculiar  na- 
ture when  they  arrive  at  maturity;  so  infants  are 
born  with  a  nature  which,  not  by  necessity,  bat 

*  Compatible  with  blame,  because  an  ftbreditftry  propensity  is  as 
much  the  spontaneous  action  of  the  heart  as  any  other ;  and  to  be  railing- 
is  to  be/ree,-  to  be  voluntary  in  sin  is  to  be  blamewortht 


14  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT,  I. 

by  the  free  consent  of  the  heart,  will  in  all  cases 
actually  sin  as  soon  as  they  are  able.  Without 
denying  that  more  is  true,  I  mean  to  assert  no  more 
when  I  speak  of  the  depravity  of  infants,  and  when 
I  call  them  sinners.  Least  of  all  do  I  undertake 
to  decide  ou  their  condition  in  a  future  world.  In 
the  hands  of  divine  mercy  I  leave  them,  and  bow 
in  submissive  silence.  That  infants  in  this  sense 
are  depraved,  I  argue, 

[1.]  From  the  fact  already  established  that 
in  all  ages  and  nations,  without  a  single  exception, 
they  do  sin  when  they  arrive  at  years  of  discretion. 
This  furnishes  the  same  evidence  that  they  arc 
born  witli  a  bent  to  evil,  that  is  furnished  by  the 
universal  propensity  of  lions  to  feed  on  flesh,  that 
they  are  born  with  a  carnivorous  nature.  I  argue 
this, 

[2.]  From  the  sufferings  and  death  of  infants. 
If  it  be  said  that  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
brutes  furnish  the  same  evidence  of  their  depravi- 
ty, I  admit  that  the  groans  of  the  irrational  crea- 
tion, as  well  as  the  briers  and  thistles  of  the  ground, 
prove  that  the  nature  of  all  things  is  marred  by  the 
sin  of  man.  But  for  this  no  animals  would  have 
been  carnivorous,  none  poisonous,  none  resentful.* 
The  fall  of  man,  though  it  could  not  infect  brutes 
with  moral  depravity,  has  occasioned  a  real  de- 
pravation of  their  nature.  No  animals  are  found, 
if  possessed  of  sufficient  vigour,  which  are  not  ca~ 

*  Isa.  xi.  6—9.  and  lxv.  25. 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  15 

pable  of  bitter  animosity.  I  am  willing  to  regard 
the  sufferings  of  the  irrational  tribes  as  a  publick 
token  of  the  depravation  of  their  nature ;  and  must 
by  analogy  regard  the  sufferings  and  death  of  in- 
fants as  a  token  of  the  depravity  of  a  nature  crea- 
ted for  moral  action. 

In  relation  to  mankind  it  is  a  fundamental  max- 
im of  divine  government  that  "  the  curse  causeless 
shall  not  come."     "  Whoever  perished  being  inno- 
cent ?  or  where  were  the  righteous  cut  off  ?w*     I 
forbear  to  insist  on  the  several  recorded  instances 
of  the  destruction  of  infants  expressly  in  token  of 
God's  displeasure  against  sin,    as  at  the  time   of 
the  flood,  the  burning  of  Sodom,  (which  ten  right- 
eous  persons  would  have  saved,  f)   the  plagues  of 
Egypt,   the   destruction   of  Korah,   Dathan,    and 
Abiram,  of  Achan,  of  the  nations  of  Canaan,  of  Je- 
rusalem,  of  Babylon  ;f  as  also  the  express  com- 
mand, in  several  instances,  to  destroy  infants  with 
their  parents  as  a  punishment  for  sin.§      I  forbear 
to  insist  on  these ;  for  in  that  memorable  passage 
in  the  5th  of  Romans,  the  apostle  appears  to  have 
settled  the  point  that  death  comes  upon  the  whole 
human  race,   (not  as  it  does  on  brutes,)   in  conse- 
quence of  their  sin,  of  nature  or  practice.     "  By 
one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by 
sin ;   and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that 

*  Job  iv.  7.  Prov.  xxvi.  2.  f  Gen.  xviii.  32.  t  Exod.  xii.  29. 
Numb.  xvi.  27 — 33.  Dcut.  ii.  34.  and  iii.  6.  and  vii.  2.  and  xxxii.  25. 
Josh.  vii.  24,  25.  Isai.  xiii.  18.  Jer.  ix.  21.  and  xliv.  7.  Lam.  ii.  11, 
19,  20.  and  iy.  4,  10.       §  Num.  xxxi.  17.    1  Sam.  xv.  3.     Ezek.  ix.  (5. 


10  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  I. 

all  have  sinned."  His  argument  plainly  rests  on 
the  principle  that  among  the  human  race,  (not  a- 
mong  brutes,)  the  empire  of  sin  and  that  of  death 
are  coextensive.  If  in  the  sequel  he  makes  the  vi- 
sible ground  of  the  death  of  infants  to  be  the  pub- 
lick  sin  of  Adam,  (a  point  which  I  freely  concede,) 
I  hope  to  show  hereafter  that  for  the  posterity  of 
Adam  to  suffer  any  evil  on  account  of  his  sin,  is  it- 
self a  sufficient  proof  that  they  partake  of  his  de- 
pravity.    I  argue  the  depravity  of  infants, 

[3.]  From  their  need  of  a  Saviour,  and  from 
their  being  brought  to  a  Saviour  in  baptism. 
u  We  thus  judge  that  if  One  died  for  all,  tlien 
iv ere  all  dead,  and  that  He  died  for  all."*  If 
infants  are  saved  by  Christ  certainly  they  are  sin- 
ners, (in  the  sense  already  explained,)  for  He  came 
to  save  none  but  sinners.  "  They  that  be  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."f 
Whoever  is  entitled  to  salvation  by  law  cannot  be 
saved  by  grace.  But  if  infants  are  not  saved  by 
grace,  and  by  Christ,  why  bring  them  to  Him  in 
baptism,  and  fix  upon  them  the  seal  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace?  If  they  are  pure,  why  sprinkle  them 
with  water  as  if  they  were  unclean  ?  Why  was  an 
ordinance  instituted  to  set  forth  their  need  of  puri- 
fication ?  If  children  are  spotless  infant  baptism 
is  a  jest.     But  their  depravity  is  settled, 

[4.]     By  express   declarations   of  Scripture. 
u  Behold  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did 

*  2  Cor.  v.  14, 1-5.  f  Mat.  ix.  12,  13. 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  17 

my  mother  conceive  me."  "  What  is  man  that  he 
should  he  clean  ?  and  he  which  is  horn  of  a  wo- 
man that  he  should  be  righteous  ?"  "  Who  can 
bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?"  "  How 
can  he  be  clean  that  is  born  of  a  woman?"  "The 
wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb ;  they  go  as- 
tray as  soon  as  they  be  born."  "I  knew  that  thou 
wouldst  deal  very  treacherously,  and  wast  called  a 
transgressor  from  the  womb."  "Foolishness  is 
bound  in  the  heart  of  a  child."  "For  the  imagi- 
nation of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth." 
"  The  children  of  Israel — have  only  done  evil  be- 
fore me  from  their  youth."  "As  for  thy  nativity, 
[alluding  to  the  pollution  and  ruin  accompanying 
the  first  birth,  and  the  remedy  which  divine  mercy 
provided,]  in  the  day  thou  wast  born — thou  [wast 
not]  washed  in  water,— but  thou  wast  cast  out  in 
the  open  field  to  the  loathing  of  thy  person,  in  the 
day  that  thou  wast  born.  And  when  I  passed  by 
thee  and  saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  blood,  I 
said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood,  Live  : 
yea  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood, 
Live."  "That  which  is  born  of  flesh  is  flesh," — 
is  carnal.  "The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolish- 
ness unto  him."  "  Anions:  whom  we  all  had  our 
conversation, — and  were  by  nature  children  of 
wrath  even  as  others."* 

*  Gen.  vlii.  21.  Job  xiv.  4.  and  xv.  14.  and  xxv.  4.  Ps.  li.  5.  and 
lviii.  3.  Prov.  xxii.  15.  Isai.  xlviii.  8.  Jer.  xxxii.  30.  Ezek.  xvi.  4,  5. 
John  iii.  6.    1  Cor.  ii.  14.    Eph.  ii.  3. 

3 


18  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  I. 

Now  if  all  mankind  are  born  depraved,  there 
is  the  same  evidence  that  depravity  is  propagated 
from  father  to  son  through  all  generations,  as  that 
speech,  or  reason,  or  any  of  the  natural  affections 
are,  (though  in  a  sense  entirely  compatible  with 
"blame,)  and  of  course  is  to  be  traced  equally  with 
them  to  the  original  parent. 

But  if  on  the  other  hand  infants  receive  their 
whole  nature  from  their  parents  pure, — if  when 
they  leave  the  duct  through  which  all  properties 
are  conveyed  from  ancestors  they  are  infected  with 
no  depravity,  it  is  plain  that  they  never  derive  a 
taint  of  moral  pollution  from  Adam.  There  can 
be  no  conveyance  after  they  are  born,  and  his  sin 
was  in  no  sense  the  occasion  of  the  universal  de- 
pravity of  the  world,  otherwise  than  merely  as  the 
first  example.  These  two  points,  Vim  depravity  of 
infants,  and  tlie  derivation  of  sin  from  Adam,  stand 
or  fall  together.  Either  infants  are  born  depraved, 
(just  as  they  are  born  with  the  faculties  of  reason 
and  speech,  and  with  the  instincts  on  which  are 
founded  the  natural  affections,)  or  the  universal 
depravity  of  man  no  more  follows  from  the  sin  of 
Adam  than  from  the  sin  of  Noah.  I  prove  the  de- 
rivation of  sin  from  Adam, 

(3.)  From  the  fact  that  we  are  involved  by 
him  in  condemnation  and  punishment. 

In  condemnation  at  least  to  temporal  evils. 
That  all  the  temporal  evils  pronounced  upon  our 
first  parents,  the  toil  and  trouble,  the  thorns  and 
thistles,  the  state  of  female  subjection,  the  pains  of 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  19 

child-birth,  and  death  itself,  do  in  fact  come  upon 
their  posterity,  not  casually,  but  according  to  the 
original  sentence,  is  so  evident  that  it  is  not  de- 
nied. Just  cast  your  eyes  however  on  the  follow- 
ing texts  :  u  I  suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to 
usurp  authority  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence ; 
for  Adam  was  first  formed,  then  Eve ;  and  Adam 
was  not  deceived,  but  the  woman  being  deceived 
was  in  the  transgression.  Notwithstanding  she 
shall  be  saved  in  child-bearing,  if  they  continue  in 
faith  and  charity."  "Since  by  man  came  death, 
by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all 
be  made  alive.  [And  to  prolong  the  quotation 
though  the  subject  changes,] — The  first  man 
Adam  Was  made  a  living  soul,  the  last  Adam  was 
made  a  quickening  spirit.  Howbeit  that  was  not 
first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural, 
and  afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual.  The  first 
man  is  of  the  earth  earthy,  the  second  man  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven.  As  is  the  earthy  such  are  they 
also  which  are  earthy,  and  as  is  the  heavenly  such 
are  they  also  that  are  heavenly.  And  as  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear 
the  image  of  the  heavenly."* 

It  has  been  said  that  the  temporal  evils  con- 
templated iu  the  original  sentence,  were  entailed 
on  mankind  merely  as  blessings.  But  how  could 
they  be  regarded  as  blessings  unless  the  race  were 

*  Gen.  iii.  16—19,    1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22,  45—49.    1  Tim.  ii.  12—15, 


30  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [lECT.  I. 

viewed  as  sinners  standing  in  need  of  chastise- 
ment P  It  is  no  blessing  to  a  perfectly  holy  being 
to  suffer.  The  very  supposition  that  they  were 
entailed  as  blessings,  gives  up  the  argument.  But 
the  death  entailed,  (and  by  a  parity  of  reason  all 
the  temporal  sufferings  which  come  by  Adam,)  is 
represented  in  the  5th  of  Romans,  not  as  a  mercy, 
but  as  a  punishment  following  a  sentence  of  con- 
demnation. 

But  in  whatever  light  you  regard  these  suffer- 
ings, whether  as  blessings  or  punishments,  God 
distinctly  disclaims  the  principle  of  inflicting  them 
on  innocent  children  for  the  sins  of  the  parents. 
At  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  captivity  the  Jews 
thought  they  had  reason  to  complain,  "The  fathers 
have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teetli 
are  set  on  edge."  Ezekiel  was  sent  to  reprove 
them,  and  to  say,  "What  mean  ye  that  ye  use 
this  proverb? — The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die. 
■ — If  he  beget  a  son  that  seeth  all  his  father's  sins, 
— and  doth  not  such  like,- — he  shall  not  die  for 
the  iniquity  of  his  father ;  he  shall  surely  live. — 
Yet  say  ye,  Why,  doth  not  the  son  bear  the  ini- 
quity of  the  father  ?  When  the  son  hath  done  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right, — he  shall  surely  live. 
The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father, 
neither  shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the 
son  :  the  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall  be 
upon  him,  and  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall 
be  upon  him."  God  indeed  visits  "the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPHAYITY*  21 

fourth  generation  ;"  but  it  is  upon  the  generations 
"  of  them  that  hate'7  Him.     When  Josiah  confess- 
ed, "Great  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  that  is  kindled 
against  us,  because  our  fathers  have  not  hearken- 
ed/' the  answer  was,   "I  will  bring  evil  upon  this 
place,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  thereof, — because 
they  have  forsaken  me."     They  suffered  for  the 
sins  of  their  fathers  because  they  partook  of  their 
fathers'  sins.     On  the   same  principle  the  sins  of 
persecuting  ancestors  were  visited  upon  that  gene- 
ration  who  persecuted  Christ  and  His  apostles. 
"  Behold  I  send  unto  you  prophets,  and  wise  men, 
and  scribes ;   and  some  of  them  ye  shall  kill  and 
crucify,  and  some  of  them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your 
synagogues,  and  persecute  them  from  city  to  city  ; 
that  upon  you  may  come  all  the  righteous  Hood 
shed  upon  the  earth,  from  the  blood  of  righteous 
Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  son  of  Barachi- 
as,  whom  ye  slew,  [the  crime  had  been  committed 
five  hundred   years  before,]  between  the  temple 
and  the  altar.     Verily  I  say  unto  you,  all  these 
things  shall  come  upon  this  generation."     For  the 
same  reason  the  sin  of  Esau  was  visited  upon  his 
posterity :    "  For   three   transgressions    of  Edom, 
and  for  four,  I  will  not  turn  away  the  punishment 
thereof;    because  he  did  pursue  hie  brother  with 
the  sicord,  and  did  cast  off  all  pity,  and  his  anger 
did  tear  perpetually,  and  kept  his  w  rath  forever.' " 
Precisely  for  the  same  reason  the  sin  of  Adam  is 
visited  upon  his  posterity  in  temporal  calamities 
and  death  :    "  Thy  first  father  hath  sinned,  and 


22  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [l.r.CT.  I. 

thy  teachers  have  transgressed  against  me;  there- 
tore  I  have  profaned  the  princes  of  the  sanctuary, 
and  have  given  Jacob  to  the  curse,  and  Israel  to 
reproaches."*  Thus  the  temporal  evils  entailed 
on  men  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  incontestably  prove 
that  they  partake  of  his  depravity. 

There  is  one  passage  which  has  been  under- 
stood to  assert  that  the  posterity  of  Adam  are  con- 
demned for  his  sin  to  eternal  death.     The  passage 
is   in  the  5th  of  Romans.      It  certainly   affirms 
that  they  are  condemned  for  his  sin  ;   but  whether 
to  temporal  only,  or  to  eternal  death,  is  a  question 
which  I  have  no  call  to  decide.     Whichever  death 
is  intended  the  passage  opens  to  my  view  the  fol- 
lowing theory.     Adam  was  the  federal  head  of  his 
posterity.      The  covenant  with  him  provided  that 
if  he   stood  they  stood,  if  he  fell  they  fell.     It 
made  him  the  root  from  which   all  the  branches 
should  derive  their  nature.     It  was  as  though  they 
had  all  been    contemporary  with  him,  and  with 
their  hearts  his  heart  had  been  connected  by  innu- 
merable veins  or   conductors  to  convey  instantly 
his  purity  or  poison  to  them.     Thus  inseparably 
united  in  temper,  his  publick  transgression  was  as 
much  the  index  of  their  hearts  as  of  his  own, — as 
much  the  index  of  their  hearts  as  though  it  had 
been  their  own  hand  which  had  plucked  the  forbid- 
den fruit.      His  publick  act,  standing  thus  in  the 

*  Exod.  xx.  5.      2  Kin.  xxii.  13,  16,  17.      Isai.  xliii.  27,  28.     Ezek. 
sviii.  1—20,    Amos  i.  11.    Zcch.  i.  1.    Mat.  xxiii.  34—36. 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  23 

place  of  an  external  act  of  theirs,  became  the 
ground  of  their  jmblick  condemnation,  (whatever 
the  sentence  included.)  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
the  outward  act  is  in  any  case  the  ground  of  con- 
demnation. In  no  case  is  it  the  ground  otherwise 
than  as  being,  or  supposed  to  be,  the  index  of  the 
heart.  And  Adam's  posterity  would  not  have  been 
condemned  for  his  act  had  not  their  hearts  been  as 
completely  indicated  by  it  as  they  could  have  been 
by  any  act  of  their  own.  Of  course  every  evil  de- 
nounced against  them  for  his  sin,  (whether  tempo- 
ral or  eternal,)  proves  that  they  partake  of  his  de- 
pravity. 

(1.)  The  derivation  of  sin  from  Adam  is  sup- 
ported by  other  passages  of  Scripture.  Of  these 
however  I  shall  mention  but  two.  "  Adam — begot 
a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his  image."  Was 
it  necessary  after  mankind  had  seen  animals  pro- 
pagate  their  kinds  for  twenty-five-hundred  years, 
for  Moses  to  inform  the  world  that  Adam  begot  a 
son  with  a  body  shaped  like  his  own  ?  In  the  other 
passage  the  original  righteousness  and  the  sub- 
sequent sins  of  man,  are  spoken  of  as  the  right 
eousness  and  sins  of  the  sjiecies,  as  if  the  whole 
race  lost  their  original  holiness  in  Adam :  "  Lo 
this  only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made  man 
upright,  but  they  have  sought  out  many  inven- 
tions."* 

*  Gen.  v.  3.    Eccl.  vil.  29. 


84  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [lECT.  U 

Thus  I  have  shown  in  the  first  part  of  the  ar- 
gument, that  depravity  is  derived  from  Adam.  I 
am  now  to  show  you, 

II.     That  this  depravity  is  total. 

(1.)  Adam  himself  sunk  into  total  depravity 
as  soon  as  he  had  broken  the  covenant.  That  the 
wages  of  sin  involved  abandonment  to  unmixed 
depravity,  I  suppose  will  not  be  denied.  One 
thing  is  certain,  from  that  moment  he  could  re- 
ceive no  favour  but  by  grace  ;  for  grace  is  favour 
to  the  ill -deserving.  No  divine  influence  could 
from  that  moment  work  holiness  in  his  heart  with- 
out being  an  operation  of  grace,  or  favour  to  the 
ill-deserving.  If  such  an  influence  was  necessary 
to  make  him  holy,  he  must  have  remained  utter- 
ly destitute  of  holiness  till  it  was  given  him  by 
grace.  Every  man  then  who  believes  that  God  is 
the  source  of  holiness,  in  any  other  sense  than  by 
creating  rational  beings  and  leaving  them  to  them- 
selves, must  believe  that  the  fallen  Adam  was  to- 
tally depraved  till  restored  by  the  dispensation  of 
grace. 

(2.)  Adam  transmitted  to  his  posterity  the  na- 
ture which  he  possessed  immediately  after  the  fall, 
not  the  nature  which  he  received  by  grace.  The 
moment  he  broke  covenant  bv  one  offence,  he  had 
done  all  that  he  could  do  to  fix  the  character  and 
fate  of  his  offspring.*  He  was  their  federal  head 
in  his  fall,  but  not  in  his  reascent.     He  left  them 

*  Rom.  v.  12—21- 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  25 

there,  to  be  raised  not  by  him  but  by  Christ.  The 
idea  that  he  became  restored,  and  propagated  that 
restored  nature  to  his  seed,  is  making  him  the  fe- 
deral head  in  the  restoration  of  the  world, — is  put- 
ting him  exactly  in  the  place  of  the  Second  Adam. 
But  the  experience  of  a  hundred  generations  evin- 
ces that  grace  is  not  hereditary. 

It  is  apparent  then  that  the  posterity  of  Adam, 
viewed  as  existing  immediately  after  the  fall,  were 
totally  depraved :  and  if  any  or  all  of  them  were 
ever  to  be  restored  to  the  lowest  degree  of  holi- 
ness, or  even  to  a  neutral  state,  it  was  to  be  accom- 
plished by  Christ  under  the  dispensation  of  grace. 
Let  us  then  inquire, 

(3.)  "Whether  the  race  were  so  restored  by 
Christ  at  the  time  of  the  first  promise  in  Eden,  that 
they  come  into  the  world  in  successive  generations 
otherwise  than  totally  depraved.*  To  this  ques- 
tion I  answer, 

[t.]  That  there  is  not  a  particle  of  evidence 
that  the  posterity  of  Adam  were  at  all  affected  by  his 
sin,  except  what  is  contained  in  those  declarations 
and  facts  which  apply  to  them  exclusively  after 

*  It  has  been  said  that  mankind  would  have  been  left  by  the  fall 
in  as  deplorable  a  condition  as  the  author  represents,  had  not  a  Saviour 
been  provided  ;  but  by  means  of  this  provision  their  lapsed  powers 
have  been  restored,  and  they  have  come  into  the  world  in  every  genera- 
tion  with  minds  resembling  a  sheet  of  white  paper, — without  a  stain, 
but  susceptible  indifferently  of  good  and  bad  impressions.  As  a  species, 
according  to  this  hypothesis,  they  both  fell  and  were  restored  before 
any  posterity  existed.  This  idea  of  an  antecedent  restoration  is  what  the 
author  has  endeavoured  to  meet. 
4 


26  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.        [lECT.  I, 

they  come  into  existence.  Cast  your  eye  over  the 
texts  on  which  all  our  knowledge  of  the  connexion 
between  Adam  and  his  posterity  depends,  and  you 
will  find  them  uniformly  referring  to  a  posterity  in 
actual  existence,  and  no  other.  The  notion  that 
greater  evils  were  antecedently  denounced  against 
that  posterity  by  law  than  they  actually  find  at 
their  entrance  on  existence,  is  a  fancy  unsupported 
by  a  single  hint  in  all  the  Bible. 

[2.]  This  opinion  has  arisen  from  two  mis- 
takes : 

First,  from  the  idea  that  infants  are  born  pure. 
This  has  been  shown  to  be  an  errour ;  but  if  it 
were  not,  it  would  not  justify  the  notion  of  an  ante- 
cedent restoration,  If  infants  are  born  pure,  as 
they  can  draw  no  pollution  from  Adam  afterwards, 
they  never  derive  any  depravity  from  him.  Those 
texts  then  which  relate  to  Adam's  posterity,  must 
not  be  understood  to  import  that  an  existing  pos- 
terity are  tainted  by  his  Ml.  But  no  other  pos- 
terity are  referred  to  in  any  text  in  the  Bible.  We 
are  left  then  without  a  particle  of  proof  that  the 
posterity  of  Adam  fell  with  him  in  any  sense.  But 
if  they  did  not  fall  they  could  not  be  restored. 
Thus  take  away  the  depravity  of  infants  and  you 
find  no  occasion  for  this  antecedent  restoration  ; 
admit  their  depravity  and  it  is  manifest  they  are 
not  restored. 

Secondly,  this  opinion  has  arisen  from  the  idea 
at  the  lapsed  powers  of  man  needed  to  be  repair- 


fcECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  ®f 

ed  to  fit  him  for  a  state  of  probation.  Lapsed 
powers  repaired  !  What  powers  had  lapsed  ? 
Not  the  natural  powers.  Who  will  prove  that 
Satan  himself  has  not  as  vigorous  an  under- 
standing as  he  had  in  heaven  ?  Will  and  affec- 
tions he  also  has,  and  is  a  complete  moral  agent; 
and  is  blamed  and  punished  for  sins  committed 
since  his  fall, — for  seducing  our  first  parents, 
and  for  all  his  enterprises  against  Christ  and  His 
Church.  Nothing  is  necessary  to  turn  that  apos- 
tate into  an  angel  of  light  but  a  new  heart.  And 
what  powers  had  men  lost  that  needed  to  be  re- 
stored? They  still  possessed  understanding,  will, 
and  affections.  They  still  were  complete  moral 
agents,  with  full  ability  to  perforin  their  whole  du- 
ty if  rightly  disposed.  All  that  had  befallen  them 
was,  their  hearts  were  inclined  to  evil.  But  how 
could  this  be  remedied  except  by  making  them  ho- 
ly  ?  And  was  it  absolutely  necessary  to  make 
them  holy  before  putting  them  on  probation  ?  The 
very  object  of  the  probation  was  to  decide  whether 
they  would  be  holy.  For  this  trial  what  powers 
could  they  want  but  enough  to  render  them  moral 
agents  ?  Tiiese  they  had  ;  what  more  was  it  pos- 
sible for  them  to  possess  ? 

The  fancy  of  an  antecedent  restoration  being 
thus  removed,  we  are  thrown  back  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  men  are  born  into  the  world  as  they 
were  left  by  the  fall  of  Adam,  in  a  state  of  Total 
Depravity. 


28  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  [leCT,  U 

III.  Ill  tins  state  they  continue  till  by  a  second 
creation  or  birth  they  are  united  to  the  Second 
Adam,  and  become  partakers  of  His  holiness. 

In  this  position  two  ideas  are  contained ;  viz. 
that  the  new  creation  or  birth  first  unites  them  to 
Christ,  and  that  till  this  union  they  remain  desti- 
tute of  holiness.  Both  of  these  positions  are  sus- 
tained as  well  by  analogy  as  Scripture. 

As  men  are  united  in  depravity  and  condemna- 
tion to  the  first  Adam  by  the  first  birth  or  creation, 
imalcgy  requires  that  they  should  be  united  in  ho- 
liness and  justification  to  the  Second  Adam  by 
nothing  less  than  a  second  creation  or  birth.  As 
they  do  not  share  in  the  depravity  of  the  first 
Adam  till  they  are  born  or  created,  analogy  re- 
quires that  they  should  not  share  in  the  holiness  of 
the  Second  Adam  till  they  are  created  or  born 
again.  As  they  do  not  share  in  the  depravity  of 
the  first  Adam  earlier  than  they  partake  of  his 
condemnation,  (whatever  that  condemnation  im- 
plies,) analogy  requires  that  they  should  not  par- 
take of  the  holiness  of  the  Second  Adam  till  that 
union  to  Him  by  which  they  become  completely 
justified.  In  a  word,  analogy  requires  that  the 
new  creation  or  birth  should  be  that  great  revo- 
lution by  which  mankind  become  first  united  to 
Christ  in  holiness,  and  completely  united  to  Him  in 
justification. 

What  is  thus  suggested  by  analogy  is  abun- 
dantly confirmed  by  Scripture.     That  teaches  us 


LECT.  I.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  29 

that  men  are  first  united  to  Christ  by  the  new  crea- 
tion :  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture/' (then  there  is  no  union  to  Christ  before  the 
new  creation;)  "We  are  His  workmanship  crea- 
ted in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works/'  (then  there 
is  no  new  creation  earlier  than  a  union  to  Christ.) 
That  teaches  us  that  until  the  new  creation  and 
union  to  Christ  the  old  nature  remains  entire,  and 
that  a  nature  altogether  new  is  at  that  time  impart- 
ed :  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture ;  old  things  are  past  away,  behold  all  tilings 
are  become  new."  "  They  that  are  Christ's,  [and 
if  the  assertion  has  any  meaning,  none  but  they,'] 
have  crucified  the  flesh  "  By  flesh  is  meant  all 
that  man  is  by  the  first  birth :  "  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  None  therefore  but 
they  who  are  united  to  Christ  have  begun  to  cru- 
cify the  nature  with  which  they  were  born.  None 
begin  to  "  put  off  the  old  man"  till  they  begin  to 
"  put  on  the  new  ;"  but  to  "  put  on  the  new  man" 
is  to  become  "  a  new  creature"  As  might  there- 
fore be  expected,  the  two  births  are  represented  as 
the  two  sources,  if  I  may  so  say,  of  all  the  moral 
qualities  which  men  ever  possess.  The  whole  is 
told  when  it  is  said,  "That  which  is  born  of. the 
flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit 
is  spirit."  Hence  under  the  two  denominations  of 
flesh  and  spirit,  (every  where  set  in  the  strongest 
opposition  to  each  other,)  are  comprehended  all  the 
moral  qualities  of  the  human  race.     The  whole 


80  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [lECT,  1* 

warfare  between  contending  principles  is  express- 
ed in  these  words,  "The  flesh  lusteth  against 
the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh,  and 
these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other."  Hence 
mankind  are  represented  as  remaining,  (under  the 
denomination  of  natural  men,)  what  they  were  by 
nature,  till  they  become  spiritual  men  by  receiving 
the  Spirit  of  God :  "  The  natural  man  reeeiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned;  but  he  that 
is  spiritual  judgeth  all  things."  And  hence  the 
term  natural,  under  which  is  included  every  moral 
quality  not  derived  from  the  Spirit,  is  used  as 
synonymous  with  fleshly,  sensual,  wicked:  "These 
["mockers,— who  walk  after  their  own  ungodly 
lusts,"  are]  natural,  having  not  the  Spirit."  "  This 
wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly, 
natural,  devilish."* 

But  the  evidence  arising  from  the  new  creation 
or  birth  is  worthy  to  be  presented  in  the  form 
of  a  distinct  argument,  and  in  this  shape  shall  ap- 
pear in  the  following  Lecture. 

*  John  ill.  6.    1  Cor.  ii.  14, 15.    2  Cor.  v.  IT.    Gal.  v.  17,  24.    Eph 
u.  10.    James  iii.  15.    Jude  19. 


LECTURE  II 


SAME  SUBJECT  CONTINUED. 


GENESIS  VI.  5. 

AND  GOD  SAW  THAT  THE  WICKEDNESS  OF  MAX  WAS  GREAT  IX  TIIE  EARTtf, 
AND  THAT  EVERY  IMAGINATION  OP  THE  THOUGHTS  OF  HIS  HEART  WAS 
ONLY    EVIL    CONTINUALLY, 

Argument  II.  There  is  a  change  wrought  in 
the  elect  in  some  part  of  their  lives,  by  which 
they  receive  the  first  holy  principle  :  of  course 
they  possessed  no  holiness  before. 

That  this  change  introduces  the  first  holy  prin- 
ciple, is  apparent  from  the  names  by  which  it  is 
called.  Of  these  the  most  remarkable  are,  the 
new  creation  and  new  birth.  If  these  names  are 
not  utterly  insignificant  they  import  the  beginning 
of  life.  Now  in  the  language  of  Scripture  spirit 
ual  life  is  holiness.*  As  then  the  first  birth  or  cre- 
ation is  the  beginning  of  natural  life,  the  new  cre- 
ation or  birth,  if  these  terms  have  any  meaning, 
must  be  the  besinnina:  of  holiness.  To  sav  that 
these  names  denote  a  progress  in  spiritual  life,  is 

*  "Rom.  vi.  4 — 13.  and  viii.  6,  10.  and  xi.  15.    Epli.  ii.  1.      Col,  iii.  3, 


33  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [l,ECT.  If, 

to  say  that  the  new  creation  or  birth  is  repeat- 
ed upon  Christians  every  day.  But  why  call  a 
•progress  in  life  a  creation  or  a  birth,  rather  than 
by  any  other  name  to  be  found  in  language.  To  be 
consistent  you  must  call  the  progress  from  youth  to 
manhood  a  creation  and  a  birth. 

The  very  phrases  neiv  creation  and  new  birth 
carry  in  them  an  intimation  that  the  first  creation 
or  birth  was  totally  defective,  and  must  be  entirely 
done  over  again ;  that  the  defect  can  be  remedied 
by  no  other  means  ;  that  we  remain  what  the  first 
creation  or  birth  made  us  until  new  made  and  new 
born;  and  that  something  is  produced  in  this  change 
which  did  not  exist  before.  What  is  a  new  crea- 
tion if  nothing  ne w  is  created?  What  is  a  new 
birth  if  nothing  new  is  born  ? 

This  argument  must  be  conclusive  if  the  terms 
under  consideration  really  denote  the.  beginning  of 
spiritual  life  in  the  soul.  One  of  three  things  must 
be  true.  They  denote  the  beginning  of  spiritual 
life  in  the  soul,  or  the  progress  of  that  life,  or  some- 
thing distinct  from  inward  holiness.  To  apply 
them  io  the  progress  of  that  life,  is  exactly  like 
calling  the  advance  from  youth  to  manhood  a  crea- 
tion and  a  birth.  That  fancy  must  be  given  up. 
Only  this  alternative  then  remains:  either  the  terms 
denote  the  beginning  of  holiness  in  the  soul,  (and 
then  the  argument  is  irresistible,)  or  they  denote 
something  distinct  from  inward  holiness.  The 
latter  has  been  asserted.     The  only  way  attempted 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  33 

to  avoid  the  force  of  this  argument  has  been  to  al- 
lege that  nothing  more  is  meant  by  the  new  creation 
than  a  conversion  from  pagan  or  Jewish  darkness 
to  the  profession  of  Christianity,  and  nothing  more 
by  the  new  birth  than  an  introduction  to  the  visible 
Church  by  baptism.  The  decisive  question  to  be 
tried  then  is  this,  Do  these  terms  denote  the  pro- 
duction of  real  holiness  of  heart,  or  a  mere  intro- 
duction to  the  visible  Church,  from  a  pagan,  Jew- 
ish, or  Christian  state  ? 

Before  putting  this  question  to  trial  I  will  make 
two  preliminary  remarks. 

First,  if  these  and  other  terms  of  similar 
import  were  used  in  primitive  times  to  denote 
that  revolution  which  took  place  at  the  trans- 
lation of  men  from  pagan  °r  Jewish  darkness 
and  sin  into  the  light  and  holiness  of  the  Chris- 
tian state,  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that 
they  expressed  merely  or  chiefly  the  outward 
change.  If  they  were  applied  in  the  absolute 
form  to  visible  Christians ;  if  in  the  lips  of 
men  they  even  became  proper  names  of  what  was 
apparent  to  the  eye  in  the  Christian  character; 
it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  they  were  used,  not 
to  denote  a  hypocritical  show,  but  to  distinguish 
what  was  deemed  an  expression  and  evidence  of 
the  change  within.  When  we  point  to  the  visible 
figure  of  a  human  being,  and  call  it  a  man,  we  do 
not  mean  to  overlook  the  soul  tSiat  chiefly  consti- 
tutes him  such.     If  there  is  such  a  thing  as  inward 


34  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [lECT.  II. 

holiness,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  outward  holiness, 
and  in  the  languages  of  men  the  outward  and  in- 
ward character  will  he  called  by  the  same  name. 
We  daily  speak  in  the  ahsolute  form  of  meirs  con- 
version, without  meaning  to  say  that  conversion  is 
a  mere  visible  change.  We  call  a  man  who  is  ex- 
ternally good,  a  good  man,  and  one  who  makes  a 
credible  profession  of  Christianity,  a  Christian, 
though  we  know  that  these  names  imply  and  chief- 
ly express  an  inward  character.  Honest  man, 
friend,  and  all  the  terms  descriptive  of  character, 
are  daily  used  in  the  same  way.  And  because 
you  apply  such  appellations  to  men  whose  hearts 
you  cannot  know,  is  it  to  be  inferred  that  there  are 
honest  men,  and  friends,  who  are  not  so  in  heart  ? 
If  the  visible  churches  to  whom  the  Epistles 
were  written  were  called  "  saints,"  "  holy  bre- 
thren," "  faithful,"  "  beloved  of  God,"  "  elect," 
"justified,""  "sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,"  "par- 
takers of  the  divine  nature,"  "  children  of  God," 
" joint  heirs  with  Christ,"  it  is  not  necessary 
to  suppose  that  these  titles  denoted  merely  an 
outward  character  and  condition.  Nor  can  they 
be  so  understood,  unless  Christianity  is  altoge- 
ther an  outside  thing,  in  no  degree  intended  to 
cleanse  the  fountain  of  action,  or  form  the  temper 
for  a  future  life. 

Secondly,  if  the  terms  under  consideration 
really  denoted  an  inward  change  in  Jews  and  pa- 
gans, the  same  change  must  be  wrought  in  people 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  35 

in  a  Gospel  land,  unless  they  already  possess  the 
temper  denoted  by  the  terms.  If  any  can  be  found 
who  are  not  what  is  really  intended  by  new  crea- 
tures and  new  born,  it  is  plain  that  they  must  be 
created  and  born  anew.  But  whether  all  the  in- 
habitants of  Christendom,  or  even  all  within  the 
pale  of  the  Christian  Church,  do  possess  such  a 
character,  will  appear  when  the  import  of  these 
terms  comes  to  be  examined. 

Now  for  the  trial  of  the  question.  Do  the 
terms  new  creation  and  new  birth  denote  the  pro- 
duction of  real  holiness  of  heart,  or  a  mere  intro- 
duction to  the  visible  Church,  from  a  pagan,  Jew- 
ish, or  Gospel  state?  Let  us  examine  the  two 
phrases  separately. 

First,  of  the  new  creation.  It  is  by  this  ope- 
ration that  "  the  new  creature"  or  "  new  man"  is 
formed.  What  account  then  have  we  of  the  new 
creature  or  new  man  ? 

To  be  a  new  creature  is  to  be  in  Christ:  u  We 
are  His  workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Unless  then  a  union  to  the  visible  Church  actually 
unites  one  to  Christ,  something  more  is  meant  by 
The  new  creation.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  be 
a  new  creature  in  order  to  be  in  Christ:  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature."  Unless 
then  a  union  to  the  visible  Church  is  essential  to  a 
union  with  Christ,  something  more  is  meant  by  the 
new  creation.* 

■  2  Cor.  v.  ir.    Eph.  ii.  10. 


36  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  II. 

Here  let  us  settle  once  for  all  what  is  meant  by 
being  in  Christ.  To  be  in  Christ  is  to  be  so  im- 
mured as  it  were  in  Him  as  to  be  completely  shel- 
tered from  condemnation  :  "  There  is — now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 
It  is  to  be  "  members  of  His  body,  of  His  iiesh, 
and  of  His  bones  :"  "  So  we  being  many  are  one 
body  in  Christ."  It  is  to  have  a  sure  title  to  all 
the  promises.  The  promises  were  all  made  to 
Christ,  and  are  represented  as  laid  up  in  Him  for 
all  who  are  there  inclosed  :  "  To  Abraham  and 
his  Seed  were  the  promises  made  :  He  saith  not, 
And  to  seeds,  as  of  many,  but  as  of  One,  and  to 
thy  Seed,  which  is  Christ."  "  That  the  Gentiles 
should  be  fellow  heirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and 
partakers  of  His  promise  in  Christ."  "  For  all  the 
promises  of  God  in  Him  are  yea,  and  in  Him 
amen."  To  be  in  Christ  is  to  be  in  Him  as  in  a 
house  which  will  inclose  us  after  all  visible  church- 
es shall  cease, — which  will  inclose  us  when  we  lie 
in  the  grave,  and  when  we  rise.  The  apostle 
speaks  of  those  who  had  "  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  " 
and  says  that  "  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first." 
In  short  this  was  a  common  expression  used  by  the 
apostles  to  denote  the  union  of  real  Christians  to 
Christ*  And  all  this  is  implied  in  being  a  new 
creature. 

*  Rom.  viii.  1.  and  xii.  5.  and  xvl.  7.  1  Cor.  iii.  1.  and  xv.  18,  22. 
2  Cor.  i.  20,  21.  and  xii.  2.  Gal.  I  22.  and  iii.  16.  Eph.  iii.  6.  and 
v.  30.    1  Thes.  iv.  ta 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  3? 

To  be  a  new  creature  is  io  possess  that  faith 
which  worketh  by  love,  and  avails  to  salvation. 
Compare  the  two  following  texts,  standing  near 
each  other  in  the  same  Epistle  :  "For  in  Christ 
Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
uncircumcision,  but  a  neiv  creature."  "  For  in  Je- 
sus Christ  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing, 
nor  uncircumcision,  but  faith  ivliich  worketh  by 
love"  Again,  as  far  as  the  new  creation  proceeds 
it  annihilates  the  nature  with  which  we  were  born, 
and  produces  something  entirely  new  :  "  If  any 
man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature  :  old  things 
are  passed  away,  behold  all  things  are  become 
new"  Again,  to  become  a  new  creature  or  new 
man  is  to  be  delivered  from  the  power  of  sin,  and 
to  be  made  holy  in  heart  and  life  :  "  We  are  His 
workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works."  "  Our  old  man  is  crucified  with  Him,  thai 
the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed"  "  Lie  not  one 
to  another,  seeing  ye  have  put  off  the  old  man  with 
liis  deeds,  and  have  put  on  the  new  man,  which  is 
renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  Him 
that  created  him."  What  more  do  you  require? 
Show  me,  you  say,  a  text  which  plainly  declares 
that  the  new  creation  produces  true  holiness.  That 
text  you  shall  see.  "  That  ye  put  off  concerning 
the  former  conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  cor- 
rupt according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and  !>e  renewed 
iji  the  spirit  of  your  minds  :  and  that  ye  put  on  the 


38  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  II. 

neiv  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness."* 

If  these  texts  do  not  establish  the  point  that 
the  new  creation  is  something  more  than  a  change 
in  the  outward  character  and  condition  ; — if  to  be 
renewed  in  the  sjiirit  of  our  mind,  after  the  image 
of  Him  that  created  us, — if  after  God  to  be  crea- 
ted in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  does  not 
mean  to  be  made  holy  as  He  is  holy,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  express  that  idea  in  language.  Let  us  now 
turn. 

Secondly,  to  the  new  birth.  The  meaning  of 
tills  phrase  cannot  be  mistaken  if  you  attend  to  the 
figure  as  it  is  carried  out  into  the  cause,  means, 
and  effects.  The  subjects  of  the  new  birth  are 
begotten  of  God,  by  the  incorruptible  seed  of  the 
Word, — are  born  His  children,  the  seed  of  Christ, 
the  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  His  Son. 
That  all  these  terms  are  only  the  expansion  of  the 
same  figure,  and  refer  to  one  and  the  same  change, 
will  be  seen  by  a  single  glance  at  the  following 
texts : 

"  Whosoever  believeth — is  born  of  God ;  and 
every  one  that  loveth  Him  that  begat,  loveth  him 
also  that  is  begotten  of  Him.  By  this  we  know 
that  we  love  the  children  of  God,  when  we  love 
God." 

"Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit 
sin  ;  for  His  seed  remaineth  in  him,  and  he  cannot 

*  Rom.  vi.  6.  2  Cor.  v.  17.  Gal.  v.  6.  andvi.  15.  Eph.  ii.  10.  and 
iv.  22—24.    Col.  ill.  9,  10. 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  39 

sin  because  he  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  chil- 
dren of  God  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the 
devil." 

"  To  them  gave  lie  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God  ;  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the 
will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of 
God." 

"  The  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for 
the  seed." 

"If  children  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and 
joint  heirs  with  Christ." 

"  He  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
— that — we  should  be  made  heirs" 

"  According  to  His  abundant  mercy  [He]  hath 
begotten  us  again — to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  ; 
— born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incor- 
ruptible, by  the  Word  of  God."* 

Thus  to  be  begotten  and  born  of  God  is  to  be 
made  His  children,  the  seed  of  Christ,  and  the 
heirs  of  glory.  If  then  to  be  the  children  of  God, 
the  seed  of  Christ,  and  the  heirs  of  glory,  implies 
any  thing  more  than  an  outward  character  and  con- 
dition,— if  all  this  implies  real  holiness,  to  be  bom 
again  implies  the  same.  Pray,  are  none  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  the  seed  of  Christ,  and  the  heirs  of 
glory,  in  a  higher  sense  than  as  members  of  the 
visible  Church  ?  If  they  are,  is  that  higher  sense 
any  where  expressed  in  the  Bible  ?   If  it  is,  in  what 

*  John  i.  12,  13.     Rom.  via.  17.  and.  ix.  8.     Tit.  iii.  5,  7.    1  Pet. 
i.  3,  4,  23,    1  John  iii.  9, 10.  and  v.  1,  2. 


40  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  II. 

terms,  unless  in  those  iv  .aider  consideration  ? 
But  if  in  the  true  and  proper  meaning  of  these 
terms  the  higher  sense  is  contained,  then  when 
they  are  applied  to  the  visible  Church,  they  are 
applied  to  it  as  visibly  possessing  this  character. 
Thus  we  every  day  call  a  visible  church  a  collec- 
tion of  Christians,  without  meaning  to  say  that  the 
whole  Christian  character  is  an  outside  thing. 
But  in  whatever  sense  men  are  the  children  of 
God,  the  seed  of  Christ,  and  the  heirs  of  glory, 
whether  visibly  or  really,  in  the  same  sense,  and  no 
other,  are  they  begotten  and  born  of  God.  But  to 
limit  the  meaning  of  the  new  birth  to  a  relation  to 
the  visible  Church,  is  to  say  that  men  are  really, 
and  in  the  liighest  sense,  born  of  God,  when  they 
only  visibly  become  His  children  and  heirs. 

Let  us  now  descend  to  a  more  particular  exa- 
mination of  the  meaning  of  these  terms,  begotten 
and  born  of  God,  children  of  God,  and  seed  of 
Christ. 

Begotten  and  born  of  God.  These  terms  de- 
note a  change  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation  ; 
and  that  is  more  than  any  of  us  would  be  willing 
to  say  of  a  union  with  the  visible  Church.  "  Veri- 
ly, verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born 
again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  They 
denote  such  a  change  as  took  place  in  Paul,  not 
when  he  wras  baptised,  but  when  he  fell  on  the 
plains  of  Damascus  :  "  Last  of  all  He  was  seen 
of  me  also,  as  of  one  born  out  of  due  time."  They 
denote  a  change  which  to  Nicodemus  appeared, 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  41 

after  Christ  Himself  had  explained  it,  altogether 
mysterious, — a  change  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of 
God, — by  operations  which  can  no  more  be  seen, 
or  calculated  on,  or  accounted  for,  than  the  motions 
of  the  wind.  "Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
lie  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. — The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the 
sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh, 
and  whither  it  goeth  ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  born 
of  the  Spirit  "  u  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us." 
"  Which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  [certainly  then 
not  merely  by  entering  the  Church,']  but  of  God." 
The  terms  import  the  production  of  that  faith  which 
accepts  Christ,  and  triumphs  over  the  world :  "  As 
many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe 
on  His  name;  which  were  born — of  God."  "Who- 
soever believeth  [truly]  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is 
born  of  God. — Whosoever  is  born  of  God  over- 
cometh  the  icorld,  and  this  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  even  our  faith.  Who  is  he  that 
overcometh  the  world  but  he  that  believeth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?w  The  terms  import  the 
production  of  that  love  which  "  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law,"  and  that  knowledge  of  God  which  is 
"  eternal  life."  "  Every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of 
God  and  knoweth  God."  The  terms  import  a  de- 
liverance from  sin,  and  the  production  of  real  ho- 
liness :  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  com* 
6 


13  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [leCT. 


II. 


mit  sin,  for  His  seed  rema'meth  in  him,  and  lie  can- 
not  sin  because  he  is  born  of  God."  "  We  know 
that  whosoever  is  born  of  God  sinneth  not ;  but  he 
that  is  born  of  God  keepeth  himself  and  that  wicked 
one  touclieth  him  not."  "  Ye  have  purified  your 
souls  in  obeying  the  truth,  through  the  Spirit,  unto 
unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren, — being  born  again. 
— Wherefore, — as  new  born  babes,  desire  the  sin- 
cere milk  of  the  word. — Ye  also  as  living  stones 
are  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to 
oiFer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to  God  by 
Jesus  Christ. — Unto  you  therefore  which  believe 
He  is  precious. — Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation. "  Of  course  these 
terms  import  the  restoration  of  the  divine  image  : 
u  If  ye  know  that  He  is  righteous,  ye  know  that 
every  one  that  doth  righteousness  is  born  of  Him" 
"Every  one  that  loveth  Him  that  begat,  loveth 
him  also  that  is  begotten  of  Him,"  on  account  of 
thQ  resemblance.  Finally,  these  terms  import  an 
unfailing  title  to  everlasting  glory:  "  He  saved  us 
with  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost, — that  being  justified  by  His  grace, 
we  should  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of 
eternal  life."  "  Elect,  according  to  the  foreknow- 
ledge of  God  the  Father, — who  hath  begotten  us 
again — to  an  inheritance, — reserved  in  heaven  for 
you,  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation."* 

*  John  i.  12,  13.  and  iii.  3—9.  1  Cor.  xv.  8.  Tit.  iii.  5,  7.  James 
i.  18.  1  Pet.  i.  2—5,  22,  23.  and  ii.  1,  2,  5,  7,  9.  1  John  ii.  29.  and  iii. 
9,  10.  and  iv.  7.  and  v.  1, 4, 5,  18. 


LECT.  11.]  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  43 

That  all  these  ideas  arc  really  contained  in  the 
terms  begotten  and  born  of  God,  is  still  more  ap- 
parent from  the  description  given  of 

The  children  of  God.  These  are  (hey  who  hear 
(he  image  of  God,  (a  leading  idea  suggested  by 
the  figure,) — the  image  of  God  upon  their  hearts 
as  well  as  lives.  "  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them 
that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and 
pray  for  them  which  despitcfully  use  you  and  per- 
secute you  ;  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven,  for  He  maketh  His  sun 
io  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 
on  ike  just  and  on  the  unjust."  "  Be  ye  therefore 
followers  of  God  as  dear  children."  Of  course  the 
children  of  God  are  holy,  (in  some  measure,)  as  He 
is  holy  :  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not 
commit  sin. — In  this  the  children  of  God  are  mani- 
fest, and  the  children  of  the  devil."  "  The  good 
seed  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  but  the  tares, 
[false  professors,]  are  the  children  of  tlwicicked 
one."  "  As  obedient  children,  not  fashioning  your- 
selves accord  ins:  to  the  former  lusts  ; — but  as  He — 
is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy."  u  According  as  He  hath 
chosen  us — before  the  foundation  of  the,  world,  that 
we  should  be  holy,  and  ivithout  blame  before  Him  in 
love,  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children"  The  children  of  God  possess  the  filial 
temper,  and  are  led  by  His  Spirit  which  witnesses 
to  their  adoption  :  u  Jls  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God.  For  yc 
have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear, 


4H  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.        [LECT.  II. 

but  ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption  where- 
by we  cry,  Abba  Father  !  The  Spirit  itself  bear- 
eth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God."  "  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent 
forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son  into  your  hearts,  cry- 
ing, Abba  Father."  The  children  of  God  are  con- 
stituted such  by  faith  in  Christ :  "  As  many  as 
received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  His 
name."  "  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus."  The  children  of  God  are  re- 
deemed, forgiven,  accepted  :  "  Having  predesti- 
nated us  unto  the  adoption  of  children, — to  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  His  grace,  wherein  He  hath  made 
us  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  His  blood,  the  forgiveness  of 
sins."  Of  course  the  children  of  God  are  the  ob- 
jects of  His  tenderest  love  :  "  Whom  the  Lord  loveth 
He  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  He 
reeeiveth.  If  ye  endure  chastening  God  dealeth 
with  you  as  with  sons."  The  children  of  God  are 
entitled  to  all  the  promises  :  "  The  children  of 
the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  children  of  God,  but  the 
children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed/' 
"  Now  we,  brethren,  as  Isaac  was,  are  the  children 
of  the  promise."  "  To  Abraham  and  his  Heed 
were  the  promises  made. — Ye  are  all  the  children 
of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  : — and  if  ye  be 
Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  ac- 
cording to  the  promise."  Finally,  the  children  of 
God  ivill  inherit  eternal  glory,  and  will  bear  this 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  45 

name  when  all  visible  churches  are  no  more  :  "  If 
children  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs 
with  Christ."  "  If  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God 
through  Christ."  "  In  the  resurrection — they  are 
equal  unto  the  angels,  and  are  the  children  of  God, 
being  the  children  of  the  resurrection."  "  The 
creature  itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bon- 
dage of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
children  of  God"  Indeed  as  Christians  will  then 
enter  into  the  full  possession  of  their  inheritance, 
this  investiture,  which  is  regarded  as  the  consum- 
mation of  their  sonship,  is  called  by  way  of  emi- 
nence their  adoption  :  "  We  ourselves  groan 
within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit, 
the  redemption  of  our  body."* 

Such  is  the  account  given  us  of  the  children  of 
God  ;  and  a  similar  description  is  given  of 

The  seed  of  Christ.  This  appellation  distin- 
guishes a  class  of  men  who  wtxcjjromised  to  Christ 
as  the  fruit  of  "  the  travail  of  His  soul,"  and  are 
called  "  the  holy  seed,"  "  a  seed"  tiiat  <•  serve 
Him,"  "  the  seed  which  the  Lord  hath  blessed,"  an 
**  elect"  seed,  born  to  possess  the  inheritance,  a 
seed  which  shall  be  established  forever,  and  though 
chastened  never  forsaken  on  account  of  their  sins. 
Being  the  seed  of  Him  in  whom  centred  all  the 
promises  made  to  Abraham,   they  inherit  a  sure 

*  Mat.  v.  9,  44,  45.  and  xiii.  38.  Luke  vi.  35,  36.  and  xx.  33,  36. 
John  i.  12.  Rom.  viii.  14—17,  21,  23.  and  ix.  8.  Gal.  iii.  7—29.  and 
iv.  5,  7,  28.  Eph.  i.  4—7.  and  v.  1.  Ileb.  xii.  6,  7.  1  Pet.  i.  14,  \j 
1  John  iii.  9,  10. 


46  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT,  If. 

title  to  all  covenant  blessings  :  "  It  is  of  faith  that 
it  might  be  by  grace,  to  the  end  the  promise  might 
be  sure  to  all  the  seed."  "  They  are  not  all  Israel 
which  are  of  Israel ;  [not  all  seed  who  belong 
to  the  visible  church  ;] — that  is,  they  which  are 
the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  children 
of  God,  but  the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted 
for  the  seed."* 

After  the  Scriptures  have  spoken  in  this  sort, 
is  it  not  worse  than  trill  in  2:  to  sav  that  new  crea- 
tare,  begotten  of  God,  new-born,  children  of  God, 
seed  of  Christ,  express  nothing  more  than  a  relation 
to  the  visible  Church  ?  That  these  terms,  like  all 
others  descriptive  of  holy  character,  are  applied  to 
visible  churches,  is  not  denied  ;  but  it  is  on  the 
presumption  that  they  are  what  they  profess.  Is  it 
not  the  strangest  fancy  that  ever  was  conceived, 
that  because  such  terms  are  applied  to  visible 
churches,  they  express  no  more  than  an  outward 
character  and  condition  ?  Because  you  call  mem- 
bers of  the  visible  Church  Christians,  is  it  to  be 
inferred  that  men  are  real  Christians  without  a 
good  heart  P 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  new  creation  or  new 
birth  implies  the  production  of  real  holiness  of  heart, 
or  spiritual  life.  If  then  the  terms  have  any  sig- 
niiicancy,  they  import  the  beginning  of  that  life. 
If  so,  there  was  no  holiness  before.     And  this  con- 

*  Ps.  xxii.  30.  and  lxxxix.  4,  29—37.     Isai.  vi.  13.  and  liii.  10, 11. 
and  lxv.  9.    Rom.  iv.  16.  and  ix.  6,  8.     Gal.  iii.  16,  29. 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  47 

elusion,  drawn  from  the  plain  meaning  of  the  terms, 
is  confirmed  by  the  tenour  of  the  numerous  texts 
"which  have  been  cited. 

Argument  III.  The  Scriptures  in  a  variety  of 
forms  plainly  assert  the  doctrine  of  Total  Depra- 
vity. 

(1.)  The  manner  in  which  they  speak  of  man, 
the  sons  of  men,  and  the  world,  is  as  if  these  terms 
stood  for  nothing  but  sinners, — as  if  nothing  but  sin 
was  inherent  in  the  human  nature.  "  The  way  of 
man  is  froward  and  strange.''  "  How  much  more 
abominable  and  filthy  is  man,  which  drinketh  ini- 
quity like  water."  "  Do  ye  judge  uprightly,  O  ye 
sons  of  men  ?  yea  in  heart  you  work  wickedness  ; 
you  weigh  the  violence  of  your  hands  in  the  earth." 
"  My  soul  is  among  lions,  and  I  lie  even  among 
them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the  sons  of  men, 
whose  teeth  are  spears  and  arrows,  and  their  tongue 
a  sharp  sword."  A  direct  opposition  is  every 
where  set  up  between  God  and  man,  God  and  the 
world,  Christ  and  the  world  :  "  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan ;  for  thou  savourest  not  the  things  that 
be  of  God,  but  the  things  that  be  of  man."  "  We 
have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the 
Spirit  which  is  of  God."  "  We  know  that  we  are 
of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  icickedness." 
"  I  have  given  them  thy  word,  and  the  world  hath 
hated  them,  because  they  are  not  of  the  world,  even 
as  I  am  not  of  the  world."  "If  the  world  hate  you, 
ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you.     If 


48  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  II. 

ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  his 
own  ;  but  because  you  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I 
have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hateth  you.5'  Hence  the  epithets  worldly 
and  earthly  are  used  to  express  qualities  altogether 
wicked :  «  Ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts."  "  This 
wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly, 
natural,  devilish."* 

(2.)  The  promises  of  the  Gospel  are  made  to 
the  least  degree  of  holiness,  and  the  threatenings 
of  death  are  denounced  against  nothing  less  than 
an  utter  want  of  holiness. 

Such  is  the  tenour  of  the  promises.  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little  ones 
a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple, 
verily  I  say  unto  you  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his 
reward."  "  All  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,"  in  the  least  degree.  u  He 
that  lovelh  me  [at  all, 2  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father, 
and  I  will  love  him."  "  Repent  and  be  baptised 
every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  [no  particular  degree  of  re- 
pentance is  specified,]  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Grhost."  "  He  that  believeth,  [ever  so 
feebly,']  shall  be  saved." 

Such  also  is  the  tenour  of  the  threatenings. 
"  Follow — holiness,  ivithout  which,  [that  is,  if  it  is 
entirely  wanting,]  no   man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

*  Job  xv.  16.  Ps.  lvii.  4.  and  lviii.  1,  2.  Prov.  xxi.  8.  Mark  viii.  33. 
John  xv.  18,  19.  and  xvii.  14,  16.  1  Cor.  ii.  12.  Tit.  ii.  12.  James 
iii.  15.     1  John  v.  19. 


JLFXT.  II.]  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  49 

U  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy  let 
him  be  anathema  maranatha."  "  Except  ye  re- 
imnt,  [in  some  degree,']  ye  shall  all  likewise  pe- 
rish."  "  He  that  helieveth  not,  shall  be  damned."* 

None  therefore  but  those  who  are  freed  from 
the  threatenings  of  death,  and  have  a  title  to  the 
promises  of  life,  possess  a  particle  of  holiness. 

Before  I  proceed  further  allow  me  to  remind 
you  of  one  fact  with  which  you  cannot  be  unac- 

*  Mat.  x.  42.    Mark  xvi.  1.6.    Luke  xiii.  3.  John  xiv.  21.    Acts  ii. 
38.    Rom.  viii.  28.    1  Cor.  xvi.  22.    Heb.  xii.  14.    If  it  be  said  that  the 
terms  which  express  the  conditions  of  these  promises  and  denuncia- 
tions, are  all  descriptive  of  general  character,  (like  the  texts  referred  to 
in  the  third  Lecture,  p.  74 — 76,)  the  author  concedes  that  they  may 
be  so  understood  without  giving  a  wrong  view  of  the  promises  and 
threatenings  ;  because  men  who  love,  repent,  or  believe,  in  the  least  de- 
gree, do  the  same  habitually.    But  while  some  passages  almost  ex- 
pressly speak  of  general  character,  and  are  evidently  confined  to  that 
view,  (as  those  cited  in  the  third  Lecture,)  many  of  the  promises 
and  threatenings  are  so  constructed  as  plainly  to  imply,  that  those  who 
are  not  entitled  to  the  one,  but  are  exposed  to  the  other,  are  entirely 
destitute  of  holiness.    Indeed  by  a  union  of  indejiniteivess,  (which  by  o- 
mitting  the  notice  of  degrees  suggests  the  idea  of  general  character,) 
with  explicitness,  (by  which  the  utter  destitution  of  the  wicked  is  suffi- 
ciently expressed,)    they   seem  to  have  been   constructed  on   pur- 
pose to  hold  out  this  precise  proposition,  that  they  wlio  are  not  holy 
in  their  general  character,  possess  no  holiness  at  all.      The  general  and 
sweeping  tenour,  for  instance,  of  the  promises  and  threatenings  above 
quoted,  in  which  no  degrees  of  holiness  are  marked,  but  a  distinct  line 
of  separation  is  drawn  between  those  who  love  and  those  who  love 
ft7iot"  those  who  repent  and  those  who  repent  "  ?wt"  those  who  believe 
and  those  who  believe  "  not?  those  who  possess  and  those  who  are 
"  without  holiness,"  evidently  implies  that  they  whose  general  character 
is  not  marked  with  love,  repentance,  and  faith,   are  utterly  destitute 
of  these  and  every  other  holy  principle.     And  if  this  is  allowed  to  be 
their  language,  they  only  assert  what  the  great  body  of  Scripture  a- 
hundantlv  confirms. 


50  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY."  [lECT.  If, 

quaintcd.  The  Scriptures  divide  mankind  into 
two  classes  ;  the  good  and  the  bad,  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked,  natural  men  and  spiritual  men, 
believers  and  unbelievers,  those  who  are  in  Christ 
and  those  who  are  out,  the  justified  and  the  con- 
demned, the  heirs  of  heaven  and  the  heirs  of  hell. 
There  is  not  a  third  class.  With  this  fact  before 
me  I  remark, 

(3.)  A  number  of  the  most  simple  and  essential 
properties  of  a  holy  nature  are  particularly  speci- 
fied, and  are  declared  not  to  belong  to  the  class 
denominated  wicked.  This  class  possess  no  love 
to  God  or  Christ,  The  proof  of  this  I  shall  re- 
serve for  the  next  Lecture.  This  class  have  no 
desire  after  God :  "  The  wicked — say  unto  God, 
Depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of 
thy  ways."'  They  have  no  desire  after  Christ: 
He  is  to  them  "  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground  ;  He 
Lath  no  form  nor  comeliness,  and  when  [they] — see 
Him  there  is  no  beauty  that  [they]  should  desire 
Him."  They  do  not  seek  God :  "  The  wicked, 
through  the  pride  of  his  countenance,  will  not  seel: 
after  God."  If  there  should  be  any  doubt  who 
are  meant  by  the  wicked  that  do  not  seek  God,  tlie 
Psalmist  will  resolve  it  at  once  :  "  The  Lord 
looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men, 
to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did — seek  God.  They 
are  all  gone  aside ;"  "there  is  nonethat  seekeili after 
God"  This  class  do  not  fear  God,  though  "  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom:" 
"The  transgression  of  the  wicked  saith  within  my 


J*ECT»  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  51 

heart,  that  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes."     And  to  show  infallibly  that  by  the  wicked, 
in  this  and  other  similar  passages,  are  meant  the 
whole  race  of  natural  men,  the  apostle  in  the  3d 
chapter  of  Romans  quotes  these  very  words,  and 
other  things  alleged  against  the  wicked  in  the  Old 
Testament,  as  asserted  of  all  natural  men,  and  in- 
tended to  prove  that  "both  Jews  and  Gentiles — are 
all  under  sin,"  (that  "  every  mouth  may  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God/') 
and   that   "by   the  deeds   of  the   law — no  flesh 
[can]   be  justified."      This    class  do   not  know 
God :     "  O  righteous  Father,   the  world  hath  not 
known   thee"      "  These  things   will  they,    [the 
world,]  do  uuto  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because 
they  know  not  Him  that  sent  me"     This  class  are 
wholly  unacquainted  with  the  way  of  life :     "  The 
way  of  peace  have  they  not  known :"      Hence  in 
allusion  to  the  conversion  of  sinners  it  is  said,  "  I 
will  bring  the  blind  by  a   way   that  they  knew 
not ;   I  will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not 
known"     This  class  have  no  spiritual  discern- 
ment, or  understanding,  or  right  knowledge  of  di- 
vine things  :      "  We  speak — not  the  wisdom  of 
this  world, — but — the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery^ 
— which  none  of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew  ; 
— as  it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have   entered  into  the  heart  of  man   the 
things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love 
Him  ;   but  God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by  His 


8%  TOTAL   BEPRAVITT.  [lECT.  1U 

Spirit. — For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a 
man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which  is  in  him  ?  Even 
so  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spi* 
rit  of  God.— But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritualty  discerned."  "  My  people  is  foolish;, 
they  have  not  known  me;  they  are  sottish  children, 
they  have  none  tinder  standing"  "The  Lord  look- 
ed  down  from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men, 
to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  understand. — 
They  are  all  gone  aside."  "There  is  none  thai 
under  standeth."  Hence  all  spiritual  understand- 
ing is  represented  as  coming  from  God  :  "  The 
Bon  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  under- 
standing, that  we  may  know  Hint  that  is  true." 
"We— dp  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,- — that  ye 
might  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  His  will,  in 
all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding"  This 
class  have  none  of  that  love  to  their  neighbour 
which  is  required  in  the  divine  law  :  "  Beloved, 
let  us  love  one  another,  for  love  is  of  God,  and  every 
dne  that  loveth  is  horn  of  God,  and  knoweth  God." 
This  class  have  no  true  hatred  of  sin  :  "  The  fear 
of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil ;"  but  they  have  "  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  However  the 
body  of  sin  may  change  its  form,  and  some  of  its 
members  be  retrenched,  they  are  in  no  degree  de- 
livered from  its  dominion  ;   "  To  depart  from  evih 


LfeCT.  II.]  TOTAL   DEPRxYVITY,  3^ 

is  understanding  ;"  but  of  them  it  is  said,  "  Thou 
hast  hid  their  heart  from  understanding."* 

(I.)  All  natural  men  are  the  enemies  of 
God  and  His  Son.  This  decisive  proof  of  To- 
tal Depravity  will  be  reserved  for  the  following 
Lecture. 

(5.)  That  natural  men  possess  no  holy  princi- 
ple is  evident  from  this,  that  all  their  actions,  so 
far  as  they  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  are  wicked. 
Their  "ways  are  always  grievous."  They  "have 
only  done  evil— from  their  youth."  They  "  have 
only  provoked  me  to  anger  with  the  work  of  their 
hands."  The  very  "plowing  of  the  wicked  is 
sin."  Even  their  "  sacrifice — is  an  abomination 
to  the  Lord."  "  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh, 
[in  their  natural  state ,2  cannot  please  God :"  or 
what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  "  Without  faith  it 
is  impossible  to  please  Hini."f 

(6.)  The  doctrine  is  supported  by  direct  and 
positive  declarations.  "  God  saw  that  the  wicked- 
ness of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only 
evil  continually."  "  The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men 
is  full  of  evil,  and  madness  is  in  their  heart  while 
they  live,  and  after  that  they  go  to  the  dead." 
"Because  sentence  against   an  evil  work  is  not 


"a 


executed  speedily,   therefore  the  heart  of  the  son 


*  Job  xvii.  4.  and  xxi.  7,  14.  and  xxviii.  23.  Ps.  x.  4.  and  xiv.  2,  3. 
and  xxxvi.  1.  and  cxi.  10.  Prov.  i.  7.  and  viii.  13.  and  ix.  10.  Isai.  xlii 
16.  and  liii.  2.  Jer.  iv.  22.  John  xv.  21.  and  xvii.  25.  Rom.  iii.  9— 
20.  1  Cor.  ii.  6—14.  Col.  i.  9.  1  John  iv.  7.  and  v.  20.  f  Ps.  x.  4. 
Prov.  xv.  8.  and  xxi.  4.    Jer.  :vxxii.  30.    Rom.  viii.  3.    Heb.  xl  6. 


M  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY*  [t.ECT,  IlJ 

of  men  is  /«%  se£  in  them  to  do  evil."  "  The 
heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperate- 
ly wicked;  who  can  know  it?"  Whose  heart? 
The  heart, — in  the  most  universal  form.  "  The 
whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint :  from 
the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no 
soundness  in  it,  but  wounds,  and  bruises,  and  pu- 
trifying  sores."  "  Unto  them  that  are  defiled  and 
unbelieving,  is  nothing  pure,  but  even  their  mind 
and  conscience  is  defiled; — -being  abominable,  and 
disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work  reprobate.'' 
"That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  [by  natural 
generation,]  is  flesh  " — is  nothing  but  flesh  ;  be- 
cause all  that  is  spirit,  or  that  stands  in  opposition 
to  flesh,  is  produced  by  a  second  birth  :  "  That 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  By  flesh  is  un- 
questionably meant  the  old  nature  with  which  we 
were  born.  What  then  is  the  character  of  the 
ilesh?  Let  an  apostle  answer  :  "  I know  that  in  me, 
that  is  in  my  flesh,  clwelleth  no  good  thing." 
"Will  you  hear  him  further  ?  "  The  flesh  lustcth 
against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  tiie  flesh, 
and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other. — Now 
the  works  of  the  flesh  are — these :  adultery,  forni- 
cation, uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatry,  witch- 
craft, hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife, 
seditions,  heresies,  envyings,  murders,  drunken- 
ness, revelliugs,  and  such  like. — But  the  fruit 
of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace. — And  they  that 
are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  af- 


LF.CT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  53 

fections  and  lusts."  Hear  him  yet  further  :  "They 
that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the 
flesh,  hut  they  that  are  after  the  Spirit,  the  tilings 
of  the  Spirit;  for  to  be  carnally  [fleshly]  minded 
is  death,  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and 
peace ;  because  the  carnal  [fleshly]  mind  is  en- 
mity against  God,  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  So  then  thcv  that 
are  in  the  flesh,  [in  their  natural  state,]  cannot 
please  God.  But  ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in 
the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in 
you  J9 

To  this  mass  of  proof  may  be  added,  what 
perhaps  is  the  most  decisive  of  all,  that  mankind 
by  nature  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  :" 
"  You  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the  uncircum- 
cision  of  your  flesh,  hath  He  quickened."  "  You 
hath  He  quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins."  If  you  say  these  were  heathen,  let  us 
then  go  to  the  Jews  :  "  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
for  His  great  love  wherewith  He  loved  ii89  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us." 
€t  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Follow  me,  and  let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead."  a  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now 
is,  when  the  dead  sIk  11  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  If  you 
say  these  were  Jews,  let  us  go  then  within  the  pale 
of  the  Christian  Church  :  "  Honour  widows  that 
are  widows  indeed ; — hut  she  that  liveth  in  plea- 
sure is  dead  while  she  liveth."     "  These  are  spots 


56  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.       [LECT.  II, 

in  youu  feasts  of  charity ; — trees  whose  fruit  wi- 
thereth, — twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots." 
"  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that 
thou  livest  and  art  dead."* 

The  dismal  picture  which  the  apostle  draws  in 
the  3d  chapter  of  Romans,  by  composing  into  one 
form  the  different  features  of  tbe  "  wicked"  which 
had  been  traced  in  the  Old  Testament ;  and  his 
declaration  that  the  features  were  originally  intend 
ed  for  the  whole  human  family,  authorizing  thus 
the  universal  application  of  the  term  wicked  as 
it  stands  connected  with  those  delineations ;  are 
sufficient  in  themselves  to  settle  this  question. 
Pray  read  that  description,  (and  add  to  it  the  dread- 
ful account  of  the  whole  heathen  world  in  the  first 
chapter ;)  and  after  being  thus  taught  to  apply  to 
all  natural  men  the  allegations  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment against  u  the  icicked"  read  the  descriptions 
of  the  wicked  contained  in  the  21st  chapter  of  Job, 
the  10th,  14th,  36th,  50th,  and  73d  Psalm, 
and  to  mention  no  more,  the  59th  chapter  of 
Isaiah. 

Argument  IV.  The  representations  in  the 
Psalms  and  chapters  above  referred  to,  are  abun- 
dantly confirmed  by  the  history  of  the  world. 

But  a  few  ages  had  elapsed  after  the  fall  of 
man  before  *f  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence," 

*  Gen.  vL  5.  Eccl.  Via.  11.  and  ix.  3.  IsaS.  i.  5,  6.  Jer.  xvii.  9. 
Mat.  viii.  22.  John  iii.  6.  and  v.  25.  Rom.  vii.  18.  and  viii.  5—9.  Gal. 
v.  17—24.  Eph.  ii.  1,  4,  5.  Col.  ii.  15.  1  Tim.  v.  3,  6.  Tit.  i  15, 1& 
1  Pet.  iv.  6.    Jude  12.    Hey.  iii.  1. 


LECT.  II.]  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  5? 

and  the  whole  world,  with  the  exception  of  a  sin- 
gle family,  must  he  swept  away  with  a  flood.  As 
soon  as  men  began  to  multiply  again  on  the  earth, 
the  whole  race,  except  one  family  preserved  by  a 
succession  of  miracles,  apostatized  to  idols.  "  Pro- 
fessing  themselves  to  be  wise  they  became  fools, 
and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God 
into  an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and 
to  birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things. 
— For  this  cause  God  gave  them  up  unto  vile  af- 
fections," to  wallow  in  the  most  unnatural  and 
brutal  lusts.  "  As  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a  re- 
probate mind  ; — being  filled  with  all  unrighteous- 
ness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness,  ma- 
liciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder,  debate,  deceit, 
malignity ;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of  God, 
despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  in  venters  of  evil  things, 
disobedient  to  parents,  without  understanding,  co- 
venant-breakers, without  natural  affection,  implaca- 
ble, unmerciful,*'  "  murderers  of  fathers,  and  mur- 
derers of  mothers."*  Only  collect  the  crimes  com- 
mitted in  the  Assyrian  and  Persian  courts,  inclu- 
ding the  frequent  murder  of  the  nearest  relations 
10  opeu  a  way  to  the  throne,  and  without  looking 
further  this  whole  catalogue  of  charges  stands  sup- 
ported. Sodom  was  but  a  specimen  of  the  heathen 
world. 

Rom.  i.  22— 32.    1  Tim.  i.  9,  10. 


58  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY.  [LECT.  II. 

And  if  you   turn  from  this  wilderness  to  the 

vinevard  on  which  all  the  culture  of  heaven  was 
bestowed,  you  see  little  else  than  the  grapes  of 
Sodom  and  clusters  of  Gomorrah.*  Under  the 
glories  of  the  burning  mount,  while  the  voice  of 
God  was  still  sounding  in  their  ears,  they  con- 
structed a  molten  calf,  and  stupidly  cried,  "  These 
be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt. "f  Their  unbelief  and  re- 
bellion never  ceased.  From  generation  to  genera- 
tion their  lust  after  other  gods  could  scarcely  he 
restrained  by  all  the  miracles  wrought  before  their 
eyes,— by  all  the  fervid  expostulations  of  anxious 
prophets.  Those  prophets  they  slew,  and  at  length 
filled  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquity  by  the  mur- 
der of  the  Son  of  God. 

And  what  has  the  Christian  world  exhibited  ? 
Must  I  retrace  that  apostacy  which  gave  one  half 
of  the  Church  into  the  hands  of  the  Saracens  and 
Turks  ?  Must  I  measure  over  those  scenes  of  pride 
and  pollution  which  laid  the  other  half  at  the  feet 
of  the  Man  of  Sin  ?  Must  I  revisit  the  faggots  of 
the  martyrs,  and  wade  through  the  seas  of  blood 
which  have  been  shed  by  hands  bearing  the  cross ? 
Look  where  you  will,  and  the  deep  depravity  of 
man  on  every  side  appears.  The  history  of  the 
world  is  a  history  of  crimes.  The  earth  has  been 
from  the  beginning  a  great  Aceldama,  a  shamble** 
of  blood.     And  lest  it  should  be  thought  that  Chris- 

•  Deut.  xxxii.  32,  33.    Isai.  v.  1—7-  f  Exod.  xxxii.  I— £ 


EECT.  IT.]  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  59 

tianity,  and  science,  and  modern  refinement,  have 
tamed  the  natural  heart,  the  most  polished  nation 
on  earthy  in  the  centre  of  the  Christian  world,  has 
been  selected  to  take  the  lead  in  that  scene  of  athe- 
ism and  violence  reserved  for  the  latter  day, — re- 
served to  make  a  full  developement  of  the  human 
character,  that  the  millennium  might  be  introdu- 
ced without  a  remaining  doubt  on  earth  of  the  total 
depravity  of  man. 

This  horrid  scene,  in  the  centre  of  the  Chris- 
tian Chinch,  was  foretold  by  astonished  prophets. 
"  This  know, — that  in  the  last  days  perilous  times 
shall  come.  For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own- 
selves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  dis- 
obedient to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy,  without 
natural  affection,  truce-breakers,  false  accusers,  in- 
continent, fierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are  good, 
traitors,  heady,  high-minded,  lovers  of  pleasures 
more  than  lovers  of  Okl,  having  the  form  of  god- 
liness, but  denying  the  power  thereof :  from  suck 
turn  away.7''  u  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great 
hail  out  of  heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight 
of  a  talent ;  and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of 
the  plague  of  the  hail,  for  the  plague  thereof  was 
exceeding  great/'* 

Such  is  the  history  of  man, — of  man  under 
every  form  of  society,  pagan,  Jewish,  and  Chris- 
tian. And  it  furnishes  a  fair  illustration  of  what 
selfishness  will  do  in  sjnie  of  all  the  affections  of 
nature,  when  divine  restraints  are  taken  off,  and 

*  2  Tim.  in.  1—9.    Rev.  xvi.  21. 


6*0  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  [lECT.  IT, 

(Sufficient  temptations  occur.  It  may  then  be  re- 
garded as  the  history  of  every  man  left  to  him- 
self.  For  "  as  in  water  face  answereth  to  face,  so 
the  heart  of  man  to  man/'  The  conduct  of  those 
wretches  who  are  recorded  as  prodigies  of  iniquity, 
is  only  an  exemplification  of  selfishness,  and  a 
specimen  of  what  every  man  would  do  if  left  of 
(rod.  All  doubt  on  this  subject  will  be  removed  as 
soon  as  the  wicked  enter  the  eternal  world  and  be- 
gin to  exercise  the  rage  of  the  damned.  Hence  in 
the  descriptions  of  man  which  are  drawn  by  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost,  crimes,  that  have  not  been  acted  out  by 
all,  but  by  a  part  as  a  sample  of  the  rest,  are  set 
down  among  the  characteristicks  of  the  whole  hu- 
man family.  * 

But  men  will  be  slow  to  believe  all  this,  because 
they  are  ignorant  of  themselves.  No  man  knows 
what  is  in  his  heart  further  than  he  is  tried  ;  be- 
cause no  man  knows  what  selfishness,  restrained 
only  by  nature,  is  capable  of  doing.  Hazael  could 
say,  "Is  thy  servant  a  dog  that  he  should  do  this 
great  thing?"  and  yet  he  did  it.f  The  Jews  who 
crucified  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  thought  that  if 
they  had  lived  in  the  days  of  their  fathers  they 
should  not  have  slain  the  prophets.;]:  And  if  any  of 
you  are  dreaming  that,  left  to  yourselves,  you  should 
Jiot  go  the  length  of  those  whose  history  you  have 
reviewed,  let  that  dream  end  at  this  spot, — "  The 
heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately 
wicked ;   tvho  can  know  it  f" 

•  Rem.  iii.  9—20.        f  2  Kin.  viii.  13.         t  Matxxiii,  I 


LECTURE  III 


NATURAL  AFFECTIONS  NOT  HOLINESS, 


Iir.BREWS  XII.  14. 

FOLLOW     TEACE    WITH     ALL     MEN,     AND     HOLINESS,     WITHOUT     WHICH     Kft 
MAN    SHALL    5EE   THE    LORD. 

Salvation  depends  very  much  on  possessing 
a  correct  view  of  our  native  ruin  and  need  of  a  Sa- 
viour. For  want  of  this  many  disdainfully  reject 
the  offers  of  grace,  and  undertake  to  recommend 
themselves  to  God  in  a  way  more  gratifying  to  hu- 
man pride.  None  will  apply  to  the  physician  till 
they  feel  that  they  are  sick. 

The  most  holy  and  devout  portion  of  (he  Chris- 
tian Church  have  always  held,  with  the  fathers  of 
New-England,  that  mankind  by  nature  are  totally 
depraved ;  hy  which  they  have  meant,  not  that  they 
are  as  had  as  they  can  be, — not  that  they  are  all 
equally  wicked, — not  that  the  form  of  their  actions 
is  always  wrong, — not  that  they  are  wholly  desti- 
tute of  love  to  men, — of  all  moral  sense, — of  all  re- 
gard for  the  natural  iitness  there  is  in  virtue, — of 
all  disgust  at  the  natural  unfitness  there  is  in  vice  ; 


63  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  ViU 

but  merely  this,  that  tliey  are  utterly  destitute  of 
holiness.  And  this  our  text  evidently  implies.  It 
virtually  declares  that  none  shall  be  debarred  from 
seeing  the  Lord  but  they  who  are  "  without  holi- 
ness ;"  which  is  to  say,  that  all  who  are  not  entitled 
to  heaven  are  destitute  of  that  principle, — all  who 
in  Scripture  are  called  sinners  in  distinction  from 
saints,  children  of  wrath  in  distinction  from  chil- 
dren of  God,  natural  men  in  distinction  from  spirit- 
ual men,  the  world  in  distinction  from  the  Church, 
are  "  without  holiness." 

There  are  however  in  natural  men  certain  sem- 
blances of  holiness  which  have  been  often  alleged 
in  opposition  to  this  doctrine.  Natural  men  are 
susceptible  of  gratitude  and  patriotism  ;  of  the  do- 
incstick  affections,  such  as  subsist  between  parent* 
and  children,  husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and  sis- 
ters ;  of  humanity,  including  both  compassion  and 
general  good  wishes  for  the  happiness  of  others ; 
of  a  sweet  disposition,  enlarging  their  humanity, 
and  producing  gentleness,  patience,  forgiveness, 
kindness,  and  beneficence.  They  are  susceptible 
of  a  sense  of  honour,  revolting  from  meanness  and 
pollution ;  of  taste,  that  delights  in  beautiful  pro- 
portions in  all  visible  objects  and  relations  ;  of  con- 
science, or  the  moral  sense,  which  approves  of  jus- 
tice and  virtue,  and  disapproves  of  vice,  and  when 
sufficiently  enlightened  justifies  the  whole  law  of 
God,  and  religion  generally,  and  good  men,  and 
condemns  the  opposite  of  all  these.  Under  the 
influence  of  these  principles,  fortified  by  education 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  63 

and  habit,  aided  by  hopes  and  fears,  by  respect  for 
human  opinions  and  laws,  by  regard  for  good  or- 
der, (especially  as  being  necessary  for  their  own  se- 
curity,) by  the  general  good  nature  which  prospe- 
rity imparts  even  to  selfish  minds,  and  by  number- 
less associations  of  ideas,  multitudes  of  natural 
men  lead  amiable  and  moral  lives.  But  after  all 
they  are  utterly  destitute  of  that  a  holiness  without 
which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  To  put  this 
matter  beyond  a  doubt,  let  us, 

I.  Inquire  what  holiness  is. 

II.  Compare  the  world  with  this  standard. 

III.  By  this  standard  test  the  natural  princi- 
ples which  have  been  mentioned. 

I.  What  is  holiness?  Avoiding  all  points 
liable  to  dispute,  I  will  give  such  an  answer  to 
the  question  as  I  think  no  man  will  be  disposed  to 
contradict.  I  will  put  the  answer  in  two  forms, 
and  you  may  take  your  choice.  Holiness  consists 
in  conformity  to  the  moral  character  of  God.  The 
other  answer  is,  Holiness  consists  in  obedience  to 
His  commands.  I  will  illustrate  the  principle  in 
both  forms. 

(1.)  Holiness  consists  in  conformity  to  the 
moral  character  of  God.  If  a  doubt  could  rest  on 
this  point  the  whole  Bible  would  join  to  remove  it. 
In  the  image  of  God  man  was  originally  made, 
and  that  image  is  reins tampt  on  his  soul  in  sane- 
tification.  u  We  all  with  open  face  beholding  as 
in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  iutp 
the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory/'     Holiness  in 


6i  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III.* 

creatures  is  the  same  in  kind  as  holiness  in  God : 
u  Be  ye  holy  for  I  am  holy."'  Hence  Christians 
are  said  to  be  "  partakers  of  His  holiness,"  and 
"  partakers  of  the  divine  nature."* 

Holiness  in  creatures  consists,  then,  in  loving 
the  same  things  that  God  loves,  in  hating  the  same 
tilings  that  He  hates,  in  desiring  the  same  things 
that  He  desires,  in  having  the  same  supreme  end, 
in  rejoicing  in  the  same  things  in  which  He  rejoi- 
ces ;  in  short,  in  possessing  His  temper,  and  acting  it 
out  in  corresponding  conduct.  Let  us  expand  these 
ideas.     Holiness  consists 

hi  loving  the  same  things  that  God  loves  ;  in 
loving  therefore  being  in  general ;  (such  an  affec- 
tion exists  in  God,  for  "  God  is  love  ;")  in  loving 
all  His  perfections,  in  which  He  Himself  delights  ; 
in  loving  the  precepts  and  penalties  of  that  law 
which  is  a  transcript  of  His  nature  ;  in  loving  His 
providential  government,  which  he  approves ;  in 
delighting  in  His  will,  which  is  necessarily  agree- 
able to  Himself;  in  loving  His  Son,  His  beloved 
Hon  in  whom  He  is  well  pleased;  in  loving  the 
whole  plan  of  salvation,  which  He  regards  with  in- 
finite affection  ;  in  loving  His  Word,  with  all  its 
doctrines,  which  are  dear  to  Him;  in  loving  His 
Church  and  all  good  men,  whom  He  has  graven 
upon  His  heart. 

In  hating  the  same  things  that  God  hates;  in 
hating  sin  therefore,  and  the  characters  of  wicked 
men,  and  the  manners  of  an  ungodly  icorld. 

*  Gen.  i.  26,  27.    2  Cor.  iii.  18.    Heb.  xii.  10.     1  Pet.  i.  16.    2  Pet.  i.  4. 


JLECT.  III.]  KOT   HOLINESS.  65 

In  desiring  the  same  things  that  God  desires  ; 
in  desiring  therefore  His  glory,  the  enlargement 
and  consummation  of  His  Church,  the  universal 
reign  of  holiness,  the  universal  belief  of  God-ex- 
alting and  soul-debasing  truths,  and  the  fulfilment 
of  all  the  designs  of  infinite  love. 

In  having  the  same  supreme  end  that  God  has  ; 
in  making  His  glory  therefore  the  grand  object  of 
pursuit. 

In  rejoicing  in  the  same  things  in  which  God 
rejoices ;  in  rejoicing  therefore  in  His  being,  go- 
vernment, and  glory,  in  the  honour  put  upon  His 
law,  in  the  certainty  that  all  His  purposes  will 
be  accomplished,  in  the  everlasting  glory  of  His 
Church,  and  the  eternal  destruction  of  His  ene- 
mies. 

In  acting  out  this  temper  in  corresponding  con- 
duct,— in  precisely  that  conduct  toward  God,  His 
Son,  His  institutions,  and  our  fellow  men,  which 
His  Word  requires. 

Must  not  this,  and  nothing  short  of  this,  be  the 
holiness  that  will  fit  us  to  enjoy  and  commune 
with  God  forever? — Shall  I  now  turn  to  the  other 
answer  ?  But  as  the  law  of  God  is  a  transcript  of 
His  nature,  this  answer  must  amount  to  the  same 
thing. 

(2.)  Holiness  consists  in  obeying  God's  com- 
mands. Can  any  man  doubt  this  ?  If  the  law  of 
the  universal  King  is  not  the  universal  standard 
of  right;  if  He  has  left  any  thing  unforbidden 
which  will  injure  the  prosperity  of  His  kingdom;  if 
9 


6(5  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  Il£ 

He  has  tolerated  by  silence  any  principle  or  act 
hostile  to  the  interests  of  the  universe ;  what  will 
you  say  of  His  government?  It  were  blasphemy 
to  suppose  it.  If  the  definition  of  sin  is,  that  it  is 
"the  transgression  of  the  laiv,"*  the  definition  of 
holiness  must  be,  that  it  is  obedience  to  the  law. 

But  the  law  of  God,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the 
expression,  has  both  a  body  and  a  soul.  It  is  not 
confined  like  human  laws  to  external  things.  The 
law  of  the  moral  Governour  must  strike  chiefiy,  and 
in  a  sense  entirely,  at  the  heart,  the  real  seat  of  all 
moral  good  and  evil.-  Now  if  we  could  find  a  sin- 
gle principle  of  the  heart  which  in  itself  and  its* 
proper  fruits  comprehends  complete  obedience  to 
the  law,  we  should  find  holiness  in  its  most  simple 
and  elementary  form.  "Well  that  principle  is 
found;  and  it  is  such  a  one  as  will  perfectly  assi- 
milate us  to  the  moral  character  of  God.  It  is 
love, — and  "  God  is  love/'  "Love  is  the  fulfil- 
ling of  the  law."f  But  what  love?  Let  the  Pro- 
phet of  the  world,  the  Lawgiver  Himself,  reply : 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind. 
This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment.  And 
the  second  is  like  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.  On  these  tico  commandments 
hang  all  the  Law  and  the  Prophets."  "  All  the 
Law,  [in  respect  to  man,"]  is  fulfilled  in  one  word, 
even  in  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 

*  1  John  iii.  4.  f  Rom.  xiii.  10. 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  67 

self."  "He  thatloveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the 
Law."*  And  as  evangelical  faith,  the  sum  of 
Gospel  duties,  "  worketh  by  love,"\  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  Gospel  as  well  as  the  Law,  and  com- 
prehends all  the  holiness  of  the  Old  Testament  and 
the  New.  This  is  that  charity  which  so  involves 
all  moral  excellence,  that  all  other  things  without  it 
are  declared  to  he  nothing:  "Though  I  speak 
with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not 
charity,  [love,]  I  am  hccome  as  sounding  brass  or 
a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all 
knowledge,  and  though  I  have  all  faith  so  that  I 
could  remove  mountains,  and  have  no  charity,  I  am 
nothing.  And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be 
burned,  [as  a  martyr,']  and  have  not  charity,  it 
jsrqfiteth  me  nothing. P% 

k\\  holiness  then  consists  in  that  love  to  God, 
to  Christ,  and  our  neighbour,  which  stands  op- 
posed to  selfishness,  and  causes  us,  when  it  is  per- 
fect, to  love  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  our  neigh- 
bour as  ourselves.  But  who  is  my  neighbour  ? 
Not  my  friend,  not  my  relation,  not  my  Christian 
brother,  not  my  countryman ;  but  the  Samaritan, 
(as  Christ  Himself  explained  it,||)  one  that  is  of 
another  religion,  of  another  nation,  reputed  wick- 
ed, and  my  natural  enemy ;    one  that  has  nothing 

*  Mat.  xxii.  37—40.     Rom.  xiii.  8.    Gal.  v.  14.  f  Gal.  v.  6. 

.  1  Cor.  xiii.  1—3.  9  Liike  x.  29—37. 


(58  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III. 

to  recommend  him  but  that  he  is  a  man.  In  this 
is  involved  the  spirit  of  all  those  precepts  which 
require  us  to  love  our  enemies,  to  exercise  the  most 
perfect  good  will  and  kindness  to  the  evil  and  un- 
thankful. The  love  then  which  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law,  is  limited  to  no  circle,  no  country,  but 
reaches  as  far  as  man  is  found.  It  is  restricted  by 
no  partialities,  it  stops  at  no  character,  no  friend- 
ships, no  aversions,  but  centres  on  simple  being. 
It  stops  not  at  human  being,  but  goes  forth  to  God, 
who  comprehends  in  Himself  infinitely  the  greatest 
portion  of  existence.  It  fixes  on  Him  supremely, 
and  loves  Him,  when  it  is  perfect,  with  all  the 
heart,  and  soul,  and  mind.  And  if  angels,  if  the 
inhabitants  of  all  worlds  should  come  distinctly 
into  view,  what  should  hinder  it  from  fixing  on 
them  as  it  now  does  on  God  and  man  ?  Nor  does 
it  stop  at  intelligent  being ;  it  goes  forth  with  en- 
tire good  will  to  the  sensitive  creation,  to  all  that 
are  capable  of  pleasure  or  pain.  Surely  in  the 
love  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  must  be 
comprehended  that  benevolence  which  causes  "  a 
righteous  man"  to  regard  "  the  life  of  his  beast/' 
since  this  is  a  part  of  moral  goodness  which  God 
has  seen  fit  to  approve.*  An  affection  thus  going 
forth  to  being  as  such,  without  regard  to  character, 
relation,  proximity,  or  species,  must  have  for  its 
object  all  existence  capable  of  pleasure  or  pain. 
It  can  find  nothing  to  limit  it  to  the  inhabitants  of 

*  Prov.  xii.  10. 


LECT.    III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  69 

one  world,  except  ignorance  that  others  exist.  In 
a  finite  being  it  will  indeed  act  most  strongly  to- 
wards objects  most  in  view  ;  but  the  same  good 
will  that  can  love  an  enemy  and  wish  well  to  a 
brute,  would  for  the  same  reason  love  millions  of! 
beings  of  other  worlds  as  fast  as  they  should  come 
into  view.  This  is  that  general  benevolence  which 
makes  men  good  citizens  of  the  universe.  This  is 
that  law  which  was  fitted  for  a  universal  empire. 
You  must  possess  domestick  affections  to  render  you 
good  members  of  a  family  ;  you  must  have  the  more 
extended  principle  of  patriotism  to  render  you  good 
members  of  the  state  :  for  the  same  reason  you 
must  possess  universal  benevolence  to  render  you 
good  subjects  of  a  kingdom  which  comprises  all 
worlds  as  so  many  provinces  of  a  vast  empire. 
Nothing  short  of  this  is  holiness.  Family  regula- 
tions are  necessary  for  the  domestick  circle ;  civil 
laws  are  necessary  for  the  commonwealth  ;  but  this 
great  law  of  love,  which  knows  no  limit  of  time  or 
place,  is  fitted  to  be  the  universal  statute  of  a  king- 
dom comprehending  all  worlds. 

But  though  this  affection  fixes  on  general 
being  as  its  primary  object,  it  has  a  secondary 
object,  and  that  is  holy  love,  including  both  the  love 
of  being  and  the  love  of  holiness.  As  it  delights 
in  the  happiness  of  general  existence,  it  delights 
in  that  benevolence  which  is  friendly  to  general 
existence  and  which  loves  this  sacred  temper  in 
others.      lake  God  Himself  it  regards  with  com- 


^0  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [lECT.  III." 

placency  both  the  love  of  being  and  the  love  of 
holiness. 

May  I  not  add  as  a  distinct  idea,  that  this  holy 
affection  delights  in  the  measures  on  which  the 
happiness  of  general  being  depends,  such  as  the 
law  and  providential  government  of  God,  and  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  It  delights  also  in  the  truths 
which  relate  to  these  measures,  and  in  those  which 
relate  to  the  character  of  God,  and  the  mode  of  His 
existence.  But  this  is  net  a  distinct  idea.  For  to 
love  divine  truths  is  not  distinct  from  loving  the 
objects  which  the  truths  disclose.  The  only  way 
in  which  we  see  the  objects  is  in  the  truths  which 
relate  to  them,  and  all  that  we  see  in  truth  is  the 
objects  disclosed.  Hence  the  unavoidable  infer- 
ence, that  the  haters  of  divine  truth  must  be  stran- 
gers to  holiness. 

But  there  is  one  attribute  of  holy  love  which  I 
wish  to  set  more  distinctly  in  your  view.  Whether 
this  affection  respect  being  or  character,  it  will 
necessarily  regard  God  supremely.  That  bene- 
volence which  wishes  well  to  being,  will  value  the 
happiness  of  God  more  than  that  of  all  creatures, 
because  He  comprises  in  Himself  infinitely  the 
greatest  portion  of  existence.  That  charity  which 
takes  complacency  in  moral  excellence,  will  love 
the  character  of  God  more  than  that  of  all  creatures, 
because  He  possesses  infinitely  the  greatest  portion 
of  benevolence.  Where  God  therefore  is  not  su- 
premely loved,  there  can  be  no  holiness.  This 
will  be  more  evident  when  it  is  considered  that 


X.ECT.  Ill,]  NOT    HOLINESS,  Jl 

where  He  is  not  loved  siqrremely,  He  is  not  loyed 
at  all*  And  certainly  there  can  be  no  love  of 
general  being  that  wholly  disregards  Him  who 
comprises  in  Himself  infinitely  the  greatest  portion 
of  general  being,  nor  any  love  of  moral  excellence 
thrt  wholly  disregards  Him  who  contains  infinitely 
the  greatest  portion  of  moral  excellence  in  Himself. 
The  man  who  after  God  is  clearly  revealed  does 
not  love  Him,  cannot  possess  a  spark  of  true  bene- 
volence, nor  any  delight  in  it.  This  will  be  still 
more  evident  when  it  is  considered  that  the  man 
who  does  not  love  God,  is  His  enemy.  There  can 
be  no  indifference  here.  You  may  be  indifferent  to 
a  thousand  things  in  which  you  have  no  concern ; 
but  your  King,  whose  laws  interfere  with  every  ac- 
tion of  your  lives,  and  every  motion  of  your  hearts, 
— that  great  and  dreadful  King  who  has  you  in 
His  hands,  and  is  to  make  you  happy  or  misera- 
ble to  eternity, — to  Him  you  cannot  be  indifferent. 
Him  you  must  love  or  hate.  And  now  let  common 
sense  speak :-  Can  there  be  a  particle  of  universal 
benevolence  in  those  who  hate  the  .Being  that  com- 
prehends in  Himself  infinitely  the  greatest  portion 
of  existence?  Can  men  possess  a  particle  of  love 
for  moral  excellence,  who  hate  the  Being  that  con- 
tains in  Himself  infinitely  the  greatest  portion  of 

*  The  author  does  not  mean  to  approach  the  question,  whether  in 
those  hours  when  the  Christian's  love  is  not  supreme,  it  is  extinguish- 
ed;  nor  the  question,  whether  love  may  exist  in  a  disposition  when  it  is 
not  in  exercise.  He  only  means  to  say,  that  they  who  never  love  God 
supremely,  never  love  Him  at  all. 


5"'3  NATtTHAL   AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III. 

moral  excellence,  and  even  hate  Him /or  that  very 
reason  ? 

I  will  now  show  yon  how  far  some  of  the  fore- 
going views  are  supported  by  the  Word  of  God. 
That  leaches  us,  in  the  first  place,  that  where  God 
is  not  loved  supremely,  He  is  not  loved  at  all.    For 
First,  it  instructs  us  that  all  who  love  Him  in  the 
least  degree,  are  accepted  as  Christians  and  heirs  of 
salvation.     All  the  promises  are  made  to  those  who 
possess  the  smallest  degree  of  love.     "  Whosoever 
shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  my  name, 
hecause  ye  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you 
he  shall  not  lose  his  reward."     "  Be  merciful  un- 
to me  as  thou  usest  to  do  unto  those  that  love  thy 
-name," — in  the  least  degree.     "  We  know  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
God."     u  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."  "  The 
kingdom  which  He  hath  promised  to  them  that  love 
Him."    "The  crown  of  life  which  He  hath  pro- 
mised to  them  that  love  Him."*  Secondly,  it  teaches 
us  that  all  who  are  thus  accepted  as  Christians  and 
heirs  of  salvation,  love  God  supremely.     "  He  that 
loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy 
of  me ;  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more 
than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."    "If  any  man  come 
to  me  and  hate  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife, 

*  Ps.  cxix.  132.  Mark  ix.  41.  Rom.  viii.  28.  1  Cor.  ii.  9.  James 
i.  12.  and  ii.  5.  For  a  vindication  of  this  construction  of  the  above  texts, 
see  Note  to  page  49. 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  73 

and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea  and 
his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple . — Who- 
soever he  be  of  you  that  forsakeih  not  all  that  he 
hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."     The  great  rival 
of  God  is  the  world  ;  but  Christians  are  represent- 
ed as  being  u  dead"  to  the  world,  as  not  coveting 
the  world,    (for  "no — covetous   man,    who   is  an 
idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,")  as  even  "  hating  cove  ton  sness."      "  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified 
unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world."     "  Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  thee?    and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee."      To    "  mind  earthly 
things,"  to  serve  "  the  creature  more  than  the  Cre- 
ator," to  be  "  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers 
of  God,"  to  love  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the 
praise  of  God,'"  are  set  down  as  incontestable  marks 
of  unrenewed  nature.*     But  both  of  the  foregoing 
particulars  are  comprised  in  a  single  text :     "  If 
any  man  love  the  world  [supremely,']   the  love  of 
the  Father  is  not  in  him."-\ 

Thus  the  Scriptures  instruct  us  that  where  God 
is  not  loved  supremely  He  is  not  loved  at  all. 
But  they  stop  not  here.  They  teach  us  that  the  man 
who  does  not  love  God  is  His  enemy.  "  He  that 
is  not  with  me  is  against  me,  and  he  that  gathereth 

*  Exod.  xviii.  21.    Ps.  lxxiii.  25.     Prov.  xxviii.  16.  Mat.  x.  37. 

Luke  xiv.  26,  33.     John  xii.  43.     Rom.  i.  25.     1  Cor.  vi.  10.     Gal.  vi. 

14.    Eph.  v.  5.     Phil.  in.  19.    Col.  Hi.  1—3.    2  Tim.  Hi.  4.  f  1  John 
ii.  15. 

10 


74  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III. 

not  with  me  scattereth  abroad."  In  one  of  the  ten 
commandments,  intended  for  all  ages  and  nations, 
the  whole  human  race  are  divided  into  two  classes, 
those  who  love  God,  and  those  who  hate  Him.  "A 
the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the 
iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  unto  the 
third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me, 
and  showing  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that 
love  me."*  We  are  then  brought  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  who  do  not  love  God  supremely  are  His 
enemies.  And  this  is  asserted  in  express  terms  : 
"  No  man  can  serve  two  masters  ;  for  either  he 
will  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one  and  despise  the  other:  ye  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon."  "  The  friendship  of 
the  world  is  enmity  with  God  :  whosoever  there- 
fore will  be  a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of 
God."\ 

All  who  do  not  love  God  supremely  are  then 
His  enemies.  But  I  go  further.  All  are  His 
enemies  whose  hearts  and  lives  are  not  governed 
by  this  affection  as  their  ruling  passion,  so  habitu- 
ally as  to  form  their  general  character. %     What 

*  Exod.  xx.  5,  6.     Mat.  xii.  30.        f  Mat.  vi.  24.    James  iv.  4. 

t  What  is  said  in  this  and  the  next  paragraph  is  not  inconsistent 
with  the  assertion  repeatedly  made,  that  the  least  degree  of  love  entitles 
one  to  all  the  promises.  The  harmony  of  these  thoughts  will  appear 
when  it  is  considered,  (1)  that  all  who  love  God  in  the  least  degree, 
nay  all  who  are  not  unreservedly  His  enemies,  love  Him  supremely.  If 
this  point  has  not  been  sufficiently  established,  the  reader  is  requested 
to  suspend  his  judgment  till  he  has  perused  the  fourth  Lecture.  (2) 
All  who  love  God  supremely  are  Christians,  in  the  highest  sense  of  the 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  ?5 

else  can  be  understood  by  the  passages  already 
quoted  ?  In  these  there  is  a  character  ascribed  to 
Christians,  (including  all  who  love  God  at  alL)  and 
this  character  is,  that  they  hate  their  nearest  relations, 
and  even  life,  in  comparison  with  Him  ;  that  they 
do  not  "  love  the  world,''  are  not  friends  of  tlm 
world,  do  not  u  mind  earthly  things,"  are  "  dead" 
to  the  world,  are  not  "  covetous,"  are  not  idolaters, 
do  not  i(  serve  mammon,"  do  not  serve  u  the  crea- 
ture more  than  the  Creator,"  are  not  "  lovers  of 
pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God,"  do  not  "  love 
the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of  God." 
Whatever  remaining  sins  they  have,  this  is  their 
character,  their  only  character,  then  certainly  their 
general  character.  And  is  it  true  after  all  that 
•'nine  hours  out  of  ten"  they  are  alive  to  the  world, 
are  friends  of  the  world,  are  covetous,  are  idolaters, 
are  servants  of  mammon,  are  lovers  of  pleasures 
more  than  lovers  of  God,  are  enemies  of  God  ? 
Then  this  is  their  general  character,  and  by  these 
names  they  ought  to  be  called.  Are  they  who  are 
described  as  serving  God  and  not  mammon,  really 
serving  mammon  and  not  God  "  nine  hours  out  of 
ten"  ?  After  the  Bible  has  declared  that  no  covet- 
ous man  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  shall 
they  inherit  who  remain  covetous,  "nine  hours  out 

word.  This  will  not  be  denied.  (3)  All  who  are  truly  Christians 
love  God  habitually.  The  proof  of  this  is  to  be  exhibited  i«  the  remain- 
ing part  of  this  second  head.  Therefore,  (4)  all  who  love  Cod  in  the 
least  degree  love  Him  habitually.  In  oilier  words,  the  least  degree  of 
love  will  certainly  in  all  cases  be  habitual, — on  supposition  of  the 
Perseverance  of  the  Suints. 


76  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS.  [LECT.  III. 

of  ten,"  to  the  day  of  their  death?  Is  the  good  man 
of  the  Bible  one  who,  "  nine  hours  out  of  ten/'  dif- 
fers in  nothing  from  the  wicked  ?  Do  those  temples 
in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  "dwells,"  contain,  "nine 
hours  out  of  ten,"  nothing  but  idols  and  enmity 
against  God  ?  Christians  are  said  not  to  "  commit 
sin,"*  to  be  "  dead  to  sin/'  to  be  "  freed  from 
sin,"f  which  is  explained  to  mean  that  they  do  not 
serve  sin.  J  And  after  all  do  they  sin  with  the  pre- 
vailing consent  of  their  minds  "  nine  hours  out  of 
ten"  ?  They  indeed  have  large  remains  of  indwell- 
ing corruption,  and  often  "  do  that  which  [they] 
would  not" ;  but  they  are  allowed  to  plead,  "  It  is 
no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me  ;"|| 
that  is,  It  is  no  more  I  in  my  general  character. 

It  is  very  apparent  that  men  are  denominated 
in  Scripture  according  to  their  general  character. 
For  example,  when  our  Saviour  says,  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father," $  He  must  speak  of  general 
character,  or  Peter  falls  under  this  sentence. 
When  the  apostle  says,  "Whosoever  hateth  his 
brother  is  a  murderer,  and  ye  know  that  no  mur- 
derer hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him,"l[  lie  must 
speak  of  general  character,  or  Bavid  fell  from 
grace,  and  indeed  all  the  saints  daily  fall.  But 
David  was  not  a  murderer,  nor  Peter  a  denier  of 
Christ,  in  the  sense  of  Scripture,  because  such  was 

*  1  John  iii.9.        f  Rom.  vi.  2,  7, 18,  22.        $  Rom.  vi.  12,  16,  2'). 
I  Rom.  vii.  20.        §  Mat.  x.  33.        %  1  John  in.  15. 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  77 

not  their  general  character*.  When  it  is  said, 
"  There  is — no  condemnation  to  them — who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit: — if  ye  live 
after  the  flesh  ye  shall  die/'*  the  reference  must  he 
to  general  character,  or  we  must  all  exclaim, 
"Who  then  can  be  saved?"  By  analogy,  then,  the 
declaration  that  "no — covetous  man,  who  is  an 
idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,"  must  import  that  no  Christian  is  covetous 
or  idolatrous  in  his  general  character.  That  is,  no 
Christian  habitually  loves  "the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator."f 

*  Rom.  viii.  1.  13. 
f  To  this  conclusion  the  author  has  conceived  himself  driven  by 
the  Wrord  of  God.  Any  question  connected  with  the  subject  which  is 
not  decided  by  that  arbiter,  he  dares  not  touch  ;  for  instance,  whether 
the  term  love,  as  it  is  used  in  the  Bible,  includes  both  the  disposition 
and  the  exercise,  like  the  root  and  stock  of  a  tree  which  go  in  to 
make  one  whole  ;  how  great  a  part  of  the  time  the  Christian  exercise* 
direct  love  to  God  ;  how  far  his  exercises,  when  God  is  not  the  im- 
mediate object  of  attention,  may  still  be  regarded  as  love  to  Him.  He 
will  venture  to  say  thus  much  :  Other  affections  may  hourly  rise  in  the 
Christian's  heart ;  other  passions  may  occasionally  take  possession  of 
his  mind  ;  other  objects  may  frequently  engross  his  attention  :  his 
views  may  often  be  obscure  when  his  attention  is  directed  to  God  ; 
through  the  insensible  influence  of  selfish  passions  he  may  neglect  to 
rouse  himself  to  discern  the  will  of  God,  and  by  that  means  may  omit 
many  self-denying  duties  which  a  realizing  sense  of  divine  authority 
would  have  enforced  :  by  the  same  means  his  attention  may  be  drawn 
away  from  the  interests  of  others,  and  leave  his  mind  to  sleep  over  a 
perishing  world.  But  in  almost  all  these  seasons  let  God  present 
Himself  before  him,  and  fix  the  attention  upon  Himself,  and  there  is 
found  a  temper  to  prefer  Him  and  His  interest  to  all  other  objects  ; 
there  is  found  a  heart  which  in  the  trying  hour  would  die  for  the 
name  of  Jesus. 


78  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  111. 

All  then  who  are  not  the  enemies  of  God,  and 
of  course  utterly  destitute  of  holiness,  are  habitu- 
ally governed  by  supreme  love  to  Him.  Or  to  re- 
verse the  proposition,  all  who  are  not  habitually 
governed  by  supreme  love  to  God,  are  His  ene- 
mies and  utterly  destitute  of  holiness. 

II.  With  this  standard  let  us  now  compare 
the  world. 

If  all  are  destitute  of  holiness  who  do  not  love 
God  supremely,  who  are  not  habitually  governed 
by  this  affection,  will  any  affirm  that  the  mass  of 
mankind  possess  a  holy  principle  ?  Instead  of  su- 
preme, habitual  love,  I  shall  prove  that  they  do  not 
love  God  at  all,  but  are  His  enemies. 

The  mass  of  mankind  do  not  love  God  at  all. 
It  has  already  been  proved  that  they  who  love 
God  in  the  least  degree  are  heirs  of  all  the  pro- 
mises, and  will  inherit  eternal  glory  :  of  course  all 
who  are  not  entitled  to  heaven  are  utterly  destitute 
of  this  affection.  In  the  last  Lecture  I  cited  a 
number  of  texts  which  asserted  that  natural  men  do 
not  desire  God,  do  not  seek  God,  do  not /ear  God, 
do  not  know  God,  and  have  no  desires  after  Christ. 
In  addition  to  all  this,  I  am  now  to  present  you 
with  several  classes  of  men  who  are  expressly  de- 
clared not  to  love  God.  They  who  hate  any  of 
their  fellow  men,  do  not  love  God:  "  If  a  man 
say,  Hove  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar; 
for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen, 
how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ?" 
The  reasoning  in  this  passage  proves  that  there  is 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  ?<) 

no  love  to  God  without  universal  love  to  man  ;  for 
if  a  single  individual  is  excluded  from  our  good 
will,  the  reasoning  lies  full  against  us.  Again, 
they  who  withhold  alms  do  not  love  God  :  "Who- 
so hath  this  world's  goods,  and  seeth  his  brother 
have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compas- 
sion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in 
him  ?"  Again,  they  who  reject  the  Gospel  do  not 
love  God.  It  was  on  this  account  that  our  Saviour 
said  to  the  Jews,  "  I  know  you  that  ye  have  not 
the  love  of  God  in  you."  "  If  God  were  your  Fa- 
ther ye  would  love  me,  for  I  proceeded  forth  and 
came  from  God ;  neither  came  I  of  myself,  but  He 
sent  me."  Again,  they  who  disobey  God  do  not 
love  Him  :  "  He  that  hath  my  commandments  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me, — If  a  man 
love  me  he  will  keep  my  words. — He  that  loveth 
me  not  keepeth  not  my  sayings. — Ye  are  my  friends 
if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you"  Again, 
none  of  the  wicked  whom  God  will  destroy  have 
any  love  to  Him  :  "  The  Lord  preserveth  all  them 
that  love  Him,  hut  all  the  wicked  will  He  de- 
stroy."* 

All  then  who  either  hate  any  of  their  fellow 
men,  (in  other  words,  lack  universal  love  to  man- 
kind,) or  withhold  alms  from  the  needy,  or  reject 
the  Gospel,  or  habitually  disobey  the  divine  com- 
mauds,  or  are  of  the  class  that  will  finally  perish; 

•  Ps.  cxlv.  20.  John  v.  42.  and  via.  42.  and  xiv.  21,  23,  24.  and  xv.  14. 
1  John  iii.  17.  and  iv.  20. 


80  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III. 

or  are  not  at  present  heirs  of  salvation,  are  utterly 
destitute  of  love  to  God.  And  pray  will  not  these 
classes  include  every  natural  man  on  earth  ? 

That  natural  men  possess  no  love  to  God  is 
further  evident  from  this,  that  the  love  of  God  is 
"  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit :"  «  The  love  of  God  is 
shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which 
is  given  unto  us."*  The  same  truth  is  further 
evident  from  the  consideration  that  the  unregenerate 
do  not  love  the  image  of  God  in  His  children. 
"  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life  because  we  love  the  brethren."  "Every  one 
that  loveth  [the  brethren,]  is  born  of  God,  and 
knoweth  God.??f 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  whole  mass  of  natural 
men  are  entirely  destitute  of  love  to  God.  Here  I 
might  rest  my  cause.  But  there  is  proof  against 
the  world  still  more  decisive.  The  whole  race  of 
natural  men  are  His  enemies.  It  has  already  ap- 
peared that  there  are  no  neutrals,  that  they  who 
are  not  for  God  are  against  Him.  This  join- 
ed with  the  last  particular  makes  out  full  proof 
that  the  whole  body  of  natural  men  are  His  ene- 
mies. Again,  it  has  been  proved  that  all  who 
serve  mammon,  who  are  friends  of  the  world, 
who  love  another  object  supremely,  are  the  ene- 
mies of  God.  And  can  it  be  doubted  that  these 
descriptions  are  applicable  to  all  natural  men  ? 
But  I  have  further  evidence  to  offer.     Let  us  in  the 

*  Rom.  v.  5.  j  1  John  iii.  14.  and  iv.  7* 


LECT.    III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  81 

first  place  dispose  of  the  heathen  world.      This 
great  portion  of  the  human  race  are  expressly  set 
down  by  the  apostle,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Ro 
mans,  as  "  haters  of  God."      Nor  did  they  obtain 
this  character  by  being  heathen,  but  they  became 
idolaters  because  "they  did  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  knowledge  J9    In  the  second  place  let  us 
settle  the  question  as  it  respects  the  Jewish  world, 
Of  this  second  great  division  of  mankind  our  Sa- 
viour says,  "  They  have  both  seen  and  hated  both 
me  and  my  Father.''     In  the  next  place  let  us  take 
up  the  question  as  it  relates  to  the  whole  world. 
And  what  says  our  Saviour  to  this  ?    "  If  the 
world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before 
it  hated  you. — He  that  hateth  me  hateth  my  Father 
also/9     On  no  other  principle  can  you  account 
for   the   rancorous    opposition    which    the    icorld 
have   always   made  to  the  Gospel   and   disciples 
of  Christ,      "Marvel   not— if   the    world    hate 
ijou."      "  If  they  have  called  the  Master  of  the 
house  Beelzebub,  how   much   more   them   of  His 
household.— Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send 
peace  en  earth ;  I  came  not  to  send  peace  but  a 
sworct     For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance 
against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  against  her 
mother ;— and  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his 
own  iKmsehokl."      a  And  the  brother  shall  deli- 
ver up  the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  child ; 
and  the  children  shall  rise  up  against  their  parents, 
and  cause  them  to  be  put* to  death.     And  ye  shall 
ateji  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake"    But  the 
*  i i 


82  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  Ill, 

apostle  has  put  this  question  finally  to  rest  by 
ranking  all  men  among  the  "  haters  of  God"  who 
retain  the  carnal  or  natural  heart :  '•  The  carnal 
\_  fleshly]  mind  is  enmity,  [not  unfriendly,  but  enmi- 
ty'] against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  So  then  they  that  are 
in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God."  If  you  would 
know  without  a  doubt  who  they  are  that  are  in  the 
flesh,  or  possess  the  fleshly  mind,  our  Saviour  will 
tell  you  at  once  :  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesh"  This  He  said  to  Nicodemus  to  show  him 
from  the  defect  of  the  first  birth  the  necessity  of  be- 
ing born  again.  All  that  is  born  by  natural  gene- 
ration, then,  is  flesh,  is  carnal,  is  enmity  against 
God,  until  it  is  born  again.* 

And  now  let  me  repeat  the  question,  Can  there  be 
a  particle  of  universal  benevolence  in  those  who  hate 
the  Being  that  comprehends  in  Himself  infinitely 
the  greatest  portion  of  existence  ?  Or  a  particle 
of  love  for  moral  excellence  in  those  who  hate  the 
Being  that  contains  infinitely  the  greatest  portion 
of  moral  excellence  in  Himself,  and  hate  Him  for 
that  very  reason  ? 

III.  By  the  same  standard  let  us  now  test 
the  natural  principles  which  have  been  mentioned. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  these  prin- 
ciples must  be  essentially  different  from  holiness,  be- 
cause they  are  found  in  the  great  mass  of  those  who 

*  Mat.  x.  21,  22,  25,  34—36.    John  ill.  6.  and  v.  40.  and  xv.  18,  23, 
24.  Rom.  i.  28,  30,  and  viii.  7,  3.     1  John  iii.  13. 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  83 

have  been  proved  to  be  destitute  of  holiness.  But 
it  may  be  profitable  to  pursue  this  subject  a  little 
further. 

I  begin  by  remarking  that  these  principles 
may  easily  be  conceived  to  have  been  implanted 
in  men  to  fit  them  to  live  together  in  this  world, 
without  being  at  all  designed  to  qualify  them  for 
subjects  of  the  universal  kingdom  of  God.  Do- 
mestick  affections  were  lodged  in  their  nature 
to  render  them  good  members  of  a  family.  But 
these  cannot  constitute  them  useful  members  of 
the  state  without  patriotism.  By  analogy,  patriot- 
ism and  all  the  other  limited  affections  cannot 
render  them  good  citizens  of  the  universe  without 
universal  love  or  holiness.  And  to  cherish  the 
hope  of  being  qualified  for  heaven  by  these,  is  like 
expecting  by  mere  domestick  affections  to  be  fit- 
ted to  subserve  and  even  to  manage  the  interests  of 
a  nation  without  a  spark  of  patriotism. 

Some  of  these  principles,  (particularly  the  mo- 
ral sense,)  appear  to  be  essential  to  a  moral  agent. 
Others,  which  are  of  the  nature  of  disinterested  af- 
fections, were  doubtless  intended  to  act  as  restraints 
on  selfishness,  to  enable  men  to  live  in  society ; 
as  without  them  it  is  manifest  the  world  would  be 
a  hell,  and  wholly  unfit  for  the  purposes  of  proba- 
tion. But  they  may  all  be  traced  to  sources  en- 
tirely distinct  from  universal  love.  Of  these  the 
principal  appear  to  be  three. 

(1.)  Self-love.  A  great  part  of  natural  grati- 
tude, the  sense  of  honour,  and  the  love  of  country, 


81?  tfATTTRAL   AftfECTlOKS  [lECT,  lit, 

may  be  traced  to  this  source  ;  the  other  parts,  to 
sources  yet  to  be  named.  Now  I  suppose  it  will 
be  readily  acknowledged  by  most  of  my  hearers 
that  the  mere  streams  of  self-love  cannot  be 
holy. 

(3.)  The  love  of  natural  fitness,  or  of  beautiful 
proportions  and  relations,  both  in  things  material 
sod  immaterial.  From  this  principle  men  are  pleas- 
ed with  the  proper  proportions  of  a  building,  the 
good  order  of  a  family,  the  relations  established  in 
a  well  regulated  state,  the  beautiful  proportions  of 
justice,  of  gratitude,  of  the  virtues  generally,  and 
the  exact  fitness  of  one  thing  to  another  in  the  go- 
vernment of  God.  There  is  certainly  much  natural 
beauty  in  all  these  things,  (independent  of  their 
simple  subserviency  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
happiness  of  His  creation, J  which  therefore  can 
please  a  mind  that  is  a  stranger  to  universal  love. 
Can  you  not  see  a  wide  difference  between  delight- 
ing  in  proper  proportions,  and  delighting  in  the 
happiness  of  general  being?  Yet  to  a  law  of 
our  nature  as  distinct  from  benevolence  as  this,  (a 
law  aided  indeed  by  many  associations  of  ideas,) 
may  be  traced  the  operations  of  conscience  or  the 
moral  sense, — the  approbation  of  justice,  of  grati- 
tude, of  virtue  generally, — the  principle  which  we 
call  taste, — and  apart  of  those  which  are  denomi- 
nated honour  and  patriotism. 

Are  these  principles  holy?  Try  (\\q  question  tii 
relation  to  conscience,  which  perhaps  has  the  fairest 
pretension  to  this  rank.     If  the  approbation  which 


LECT.  III.]  KOT   HOLINESS-  85 

conscience  yields  to  the  character  and  government 
of  God  were  holy  love,  remorse  of  conscience 
•would  be  true  repentance,  and  then  there  would 
he  true  repentance  in  the  world  where  the  worm 
never  dies. 

(-3.)  Instincts.  Under  this  head  may  he  rank- 
ed a  class  of  affections  really  disinterested,  (because 
they  terminate  in  the  happiness  of  others,)  amount- 
ing to  a  sort  of  limited  benevolence.  Of  this  class 
are  the  domestick  affections.  Of  this  class  is  hu- 
manity, comprehending  compassion,  and  Avhatever 
else  is  pleasant  in  the  social  dispositions  not  in- 
cluded under  the  former  names. 

These  affections  are  all  amiable  and  useful  in 
their  place,  and  when  duly  subordinated  materially 
aid  the  local  operations  of  holy  love.  And  being 
not  destructible  but  by  an  uncommon  domination  of 
selfishness,  their  extinction  becomes  a  mark  of  the 
last  stages  of  degeneracy.*  But  their  grand  defect 
is  that  they  are  limited  in  their  very  nature  to  a 
contracted  circle.  They  do  not  go  up  to  God,  and 
breathe  through  Him  good  wishes  to  the  whole  in- 
tellectual system.  They  brood  exclusively  over  a 
private  interest,  and  unless  bound  by  a  better  prin- 
ciple, are  ready  to  fly  in  the  face  of  the  whole  uni- 
verse that  comes  to  disturb  that.  In  their  greatest 
enlargement  they  still  exclude  the  Creator.  They 
stop  at  the  threshold  of  being.  They  fix  on  a  drop 
of  the  ocean.     Should  they  love  a  world  as  tender* 

*  Rom.  i.  31.     2  Tim.  ill.  3. 


86  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS  [LECT.  III. 

ly  as  a  parent  loves  his  child,  and  stop  there,  they 
would  still  be  hostility  to  infinitely  the  greatest  por- 
tion of  existence.  A  limited  affection,  (limited  I 
mean,  not  by  the  contracted  view  or  capacity  of  the 
subject,  but  by  its  own  nature,)  necessarily  in- 
cludes, as  it  stands  alone,  a  principle  of  hostility 
to  the  universe.  The  parent  rises  against  God 
for  taking  away  his  child. *  The  patriot  sets  his 
country  in  array  against  all  the  rest  of  the  world. 
The  most  extended  of  all  these  private  affections 
regards  but  an  infinitely  small  part  of  universal  be- 
ing, and  is  prone  to  set  up  the  interest  of  that  por- 
tion in  opposition  to  the  rest.  Till  they  are  sub- 
dued, and  bound,  and  subjected  by  religion,  they 
are  all  as  really  hostile  to  the  universe  as  the  most 
contracted  selfishness. 

Of  all  these  instincts  that  which  most  resembles 
holy  love  is  humanity.  Yet  even  here  the  differ- 
ence is  easily  traced.  In  those  operations  of  hu- 
manity which  we  call  compassion,  men  are  gene- 
rally satisfied  with  relieving  the  object  from  misery, 
with  little   concern  for  his  positive  happiness.     In 


*  If  you  ascribe  this  effect  to  self-love,  it  does  not  weaken  the  argu- 
ment. As  far  as  the  parent  feels  a.  personal  calamity,  it  is  because  he 
loved  his  child.  Now  if  you  are  disposed  to  put  the  love  of  his  child  on 
a  level  with  the  love  of  wealth,  and  call  it  a  mere  personal  taste  which 
selfishness  loves  to  gratify,  it  renders  the  affection  no  less  hostile. 
But  where  the  parent  fears  for  the  happiness  of  the  dead,  he  certainly 
mourns  for  another  as  well  as  for  himself  I  admit  that  if  self love  were 
subjected  he  would  not  murmur;  for  then  his  parental  love  would  be 
subjected  also.  But  the  two  still  appear  t©  be  distinct  grounds  of  un- 
submission. 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    HOLINESS.  87 

some  cases,  (as  where  an  enemy  suffers.)  they  do  not 
desire  the  positive  happiness  of  the  object,  nor  even 
his  complete  relief,  hut  only  some  alleviation  of  his 
sufferings.  In  no  case  do  they  wish  him  the  high- 
est degree  even  of  earthly  prosperity,  and  during 
the  greatest  commotion  of  their  pity  would  he 
grieved  to  know  that  he  was  destined  one  day  to 
outshine  themselves.  But  holy  love  knows  no  such 
limits  :  it  wishes  its  ohject  the  greatest  measure  of 
happiness  that  his  capacity  will  admit. 

In  cases  where  humanity  desires  the  positive 
happiness  of  a  wide  extent  of  society,  it  then  makes, 
of  all  the  natural  affections,  the  nearest  approaches 
to  universal  henevolence.  This  is  the  hardest  case 
of  all.  But  even  here  the  difference  may  be  plain- 
ly perceived.  If  in  this  shape  humanity  were  holy 
love,  it  would  in  all  its  subjects  stand  connected 
with  the  love  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  Gospel. 
But  some  of  its  highest  actings  I  have  seen  in  a 
sweet  tempered  iniidel,  who  never  betrayed  any 
malice  except  against  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Fur- 
ther, if  humanity  were  holy  love  it  would  in  all 
cases  wish  its  object  the  best  kind  of  happiness, 
that  of  communion  with  God.  And  lastly,  it  would 
take  the  highest  complacency  in  that  benevolence 
which  makes  God  its  centre,  and  would  long  to  see 
such  a  temper  universal.  But  in  these  three  im- 
portant respects  it  fails.  It  acts  vigorously  in 
many  an  infidel  without  exciting  one  solitary  wish 
to  see  men  enjoy  communion  with  God,  without 
producing  the  least  complacency  in  religion,  or  any 


88  iLKAL  AFFECTIONS      [LECT.  III. 

desire  for  its  advancement,  without  checking  a  vio- 
lent opposition  to  the  religion  of  Christ  in  every 
form. 

This  decisive  proof  of  unholiness  lies  against 
all  these  natural  principles.  You  will  find  them 
all  in  violent  opposers  of  God  aud  the  Gospel. 
You  might  have  found  them  all  in  the  Jews,  of 
whom  our  Saviour  said,  that  they  had  both  seen 
and  hated  both  Him  and  His  Father.  You  might 
have  found  them  all  in  Adam  immediately  after  the 
fall,  before  he  began  to  be  restored  by  grace,  when 
it  will  be  acknowledged  that  he  was  totally  de- 
praved. Indeed  in  a  slavish  subjection  to  these 
and  other  limited  affections,  which  had  raised  their 
objects  to  the  place  of  God,  his  whole  depravity 
consisted. 

Further,  if  these  principles  were  holy,  we 
should  expect  to  see  the  love  of  God  and  real  godli- 
ness prevail  exactly  in  proportion  to  their  strength. 
But  so  far  from  this  you  find  most  of  them  stronger 
in  infidels  and  libertines  of  mild  and  generous  dis- 
positions, than  in  some  Christians  whose  tempers 
are  naturally  contracted  and  sour. 

It  is  another  conclusive  proof  of  the  unholiness  of 
all  these  principles,  that  they  not  only  are  unaccom- 
panied with  the  love  which  the  divine  law  requires, 
but  have  no  tendency  to  produce  it.  The  instincts, 
for  instance,  have  no  tendency  to  carry  forth  the 
heart  to  God  and  His  Kingdom,  because  affections 
limited  in  their  very  nature  have  no  tendency  to 
become  unlimited.     And  into  no  affection  but  that 


LECT.  III.]  NOT    IIOL1N  89 

of  universal  benevolence  can  the  love  of  God  enter, 
because  to  love  God  is  to  be  like  Him,  and  God 
is  universal  love.  Though  these  instincts  do  in- 
deed lay  some  restraints  on  selfishness,  they  do  not 
on  the  whole  diminish  the  aggregate  strength  of  the 

ted  affections  which  act  against  God.  Of  course 
they  have  no  tendency  to  weaken  the  hody  of  sin. 
They  may  garnish  that  body  ;  they  may  vary  its 
forms  ;  but  they  still  leave  it  in  full  life.  Show 
me  an  unsanetified  worldling  who  possesses  all 
these  principles  in  the  highest  degree,  and  has  cul- 
tivated them  with  the  most  studious  care,  and  I 
will   show   you   bite  who  loves  himself  as  inordi- 

ly  as  any  Other  sinner,  though  his  pride,  and 
education,  and  the  manners  of  cultivated  society,, 
may  have  thrown  his  selfishness  into  new  forms, 
and  drawn  over  it  the  vail  of  good  breeding.  I 
will  show  you  one  whose  pridk  is  in  full 
strength,  whose  idolatrous  love  of  the  world  is  not 
a.  whit  abated,  and  whose  unbelief  has  never  opened 
its  eyes.  And  with  these  four  grand  sins  of  a  de- 
praved soul  in  full  vigour,  what  has  he  gained  in 
point  of  real  sanctifiea.tion  by  all  his  natural  prhic) 
pies  ?  A  little  paring  and  polishing  of  the  extre- 
mities, but  the  pulse  of  sin  still  beats  strong  at  the 
heart.  The  most  that  he  can  boast  of  is  love  to 
man.  But  is  even  that  love  such  as  the  divine  law 
requires  ?  No,  the  love  contemplated  in  the  Second 
Table,  far  from  being  natural  is  "the  fruit  of 
ihe  Spirit,"  the  offspring  of  regenerating  grace; 
-  *  Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another,  for  love  is  d 


90  NATURAL    AFFECTIONS,    &C.         [LECT.  III. 

God,  and  every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and 
knowcth  God."  "  We  know  that  we  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life  because  we  love  the  brethren." 
"  By  this  we  know  that  we  love  the  children  of 
God,  when  we  love  God  and  keep  His  command- 
ments."* So  long  as  men  retain  "the  carnal 
mind"  of  u  enmity  against  God,"  they  have  no  true 
charity  to  men,  not  even  to  good  men.  In  every 
point  of  view  they  fall  short  of  that  "love" 
which  "  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  And  this 
wanting,  what  are  all  their  natural  affections? 
This  wanting,  miraculous  powers  are  nothing, 
nothing  the  consecration  of  all  their  goods  to  feed 
the  poor,  and  of  their  bodies  to  be  burned. f  Their 
inscription  still  is,  Destitute  of  that  "  holiness 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

Let  the  unregenerate  hear  this!  Let  the  un- 
sanctiiied  think  of  this  !  Let  it  follow  them  to  their 
closets  and  their  pillows.  And  O  let  the  peal 
never  cease  to  ring  through  their  ears,  Destitute  of 
that  "  holiness  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord"  / 


Gal.  v.  22.    1  John  iii.  14.  and  iv.  7.  and  v.  2.        f  1  Cor.  xiii  1—3. 


LECTURE  IV 


SUPREME  LOVE  OR  ENMITY 


MATTHEW  VI.  24. 

NO  MAN  CAN  SERVE  TWO  MASTERS  ;  FOR  EITHER  RE  WILL  HATE  THE  ONF. 
AND  LOVE  THE  OTHER,  OR  ELSE  HE  "WILL  HOLD  TO  THE  ONE  AND  DE- 
SPISE  THE   OTHER  :    TE   CANNOT    SERVE    GOD    AND    MAMMON. 

In  the  last  Lecture  you  saw  the  doctrine  of 
Total  Depravity  deduced  from  the  nature  of  holi- 
ness ;  in  this  you  will  see  the  same  truth  drawn 
from  the  nature  of  sin.  From  the  nature  of  siu  I 
shall  undertake  to  prove  that  the  mass  of  men  are 
the  enemies  of  God;  and  this,  as  appeared  in 
the  foregoing  Lecture,  amounts  to  the  fullest 
proof  that  they  are  totally  depraved. 

Our  text  distinctly  affirms  that  to  love  another 
object  supremely  is  to  be  the  enemy  of  God.  a  No 
man  can  serve  two  masters  ;"  no  man  can  satisfy 
two  conflicting  claims ;  no  man  can  be  under  the 
commanding  influence  of  God  and  mammon.  Ei- 
ther he  will  hate  God  and  love  mammon,  or  he  will 
cleave  to  God  and  desjrise  mam  mo  a.  If  one  is 
supreme  the  other  must  be  hated  or  despised.  The 


9£  SUPREME    LOVE  [lECT, 

reasoning  though  applied  to  wealth  is  not  confined 
to  it,  the  application  being  intended  only  to  fur- 
nish an  instance  to  illustrate  what  is  manifestly  laid 
down  as  a  universal  maxim,  that  "  No  man  can 
serve  two  masters/'  that  no  man  can  love  two  ob- 
jects severally  and  imperatively  claiming  to  be 
supreme.  The  plain  instruction  is,  that  the  man 
who  loves  any  creature  supremely  is  the  enemy 
of  God.  And  this  is  taught  expressly  by  the  apos- 
tle James  :  "  The  friendship  of  the  world  is 
enmity  with  God  :  whosoever  therefore  will  be  a 
friend  of  the  world  is  tlie  enemy  of  God,"* 

When  I  speak  of  supreme  love  to  the  world,  I 
mean  nothing  different  from  supreme  self-love. 
What  is  self-love  ?  No  man  feels  that  fondness  for 
Ms  own  person  which  he  may  feel  for  another, 
Nothing  can  be  meant  by  the  love  of  himself  but  a 
regard  for  the  hajpjnness  attached  to  his  own  con- 
sciousness.  Now  tli at  happiness  can  reach  his 
consciousness  through  no  other  medium  than  the 
gratification  of  Iris  tastes  and  feelings.  Self-love 
then  is  a  regard  for  the  gratification  of  one's  own 
tastes  and  feelings.  And  what  is  the  love  of  the 
world  ?  Not  a  mere  relish  for  worldly  things,  as 
food,  a  landscape,  a  garden,  &c.  That  relish  is 
not  indeed  self-love,  nor  is  it  what  the  Scriptures 
mean  by  the  love  of  the  world.  The  love  of  the 
world  is  a  doting  on  worldly  things.  And  why? 
No  man  loves  these  things  as  he  loves  beings  ca~ 

*  James  iv.  4. 


T.ECT.  IV.]  Oft   ENMITY.  03 

pable  of  pleasure  or  pain,  with  an  affection  termi- 
nating in  them.  He  dotes  on  them,  (except  so  far 
as  he  regards  them  as  the  means  of  happiness  to 
others,)  only  as  instruments  of  his  own  gratifica- 
tion, that  is,  as  instruments  of  his  own  happiness. 
And  to  dote  on  wealth  and  honour,  for  instance,  as 
the  mere  instruments  of  his  own  happiness,  is  not 
distinct  from  loving  himself.  All  that  is  sinful  then 
in  the  love  of  the  world,  (except  the  small  portion 
to  he  charged  to  the  account  of  undue  social  af- 
fections,) is  comprehended  in  self-love.  To  this 
principle  as  the  grand  root  of  sin  I  now  wish  to 
draw  your  attention.  The  thoughts  which  I  have 
to  suggest  on  this  subject  shall  he  arranged  under 
the  following  heads  : 

I.  The  grand  root  of  sin  is  inordinate  self- 
love. 

II.  Every  man  who  is  not  supremely  attached 
to  God,  is  supremely  attached  to  himself. 

III.  Supreme  self-love  necessarily  produces 
enmity  to  God. — It  follows  from  these  principles, 

IV.  That  all  men  by  nature  are  God?s  ene- 
mies. 

I.  The  grand  root  of  sin  is  inordinate  self- 
love. 

Unless  something  is  loved  or  regarded  as  desi- 
rable, there  can  be  no  motive  to  action,  no  excite- 
ment to  feeling,  nothing  to  inflame  the  passions. 
The  love  of  something  therefore  must  precede  eve- 
ry sinful  action  or  emotion.  As  then  holiness  radi- 
cally consists  in  the  love  of  universal  being,  (as 


94r  SUPREME    LOVE  [lECT.  IV. 

was  shown  in  the  last  Lecture,)  the  root  of  sin,  its 
opposite,  must  be  found  in  the  exclusive  love  of  a 
private  circle  or  object, — in  affections  so  limited  as 
to  set  up  the  interest  or  gratification  of  an  individual, 
a  family,  a  country,  or  a  world,  in  opposition  to  the 
interest  of  God  and  the  universe.  Now  it  is  a  law  of 
these  limited  affections  that  their  strength  increases 
as  their  circles  contract.  No  man  loves  the  world  at 
large  as  well  as  he  loves  his  own  country,  nor  his 
country  as  well  as  his  family,  nor  his  family  as  well 
as  himself.  Self-love  of  course  becomes  the  ru- 
ling passion,  and  by  far  the  most  productive  source 
of  sin.  It  is  obviously  this  which  produces  pride; 
and  "  only  by  pride  cometh  contention"*  Only 
by  pride  come  therefore  the  causes  of  contention, 
viz.  anger,  malice,  envy,  self-will,  ambition,  and  I 
may  add,  the  whole  family  of  dependant  vices. 
Self-love  originates  almost  all  the  actions  which 
men  have  agreed  to  denominate  crimes.  Self-love, 
fixing  chiefly  on  the  world  as  the  grand  instrument 
of  personal  gratification,  offers  all  the  worship  that 
is  paid  to  the  world's  trinity,  riches,  honour,  and 
pleasure.  How  great  a  proportion  of  the  sin  of 
man  is  comprehended  in  this  operation  of  selfish- 
ness, may  be  estimated  from  the  fact  that  a  single 
branch  of  this  idolatry,  (viz.  "  the  love  of  money,") 
has  been  pronounced  by  an  apostle  "  the  root  of  all 
evil.,?f  Self-love,  while  it  often  acts  towards  God 
in  gratitude  and  desires  after  future  happiness,  is 

*  Prov.  xlii.  10.  f  1  Tim.  vi.  10. 


I.ECT. 


IV.] 


OR    ENMITY. 


95 


almost  the  exclusive  source,  as  will  presently  ap- 
pear, of  all  the  enmity  that  is  exercised  against 
Him. 

That  this  principle  iu  its  inordinate  degrees  is 
the  exact  opposite  of  holy  love  or  charity,  will  be 
evident  from  almost  any  selection  you  can  make 
from  the  precepts,  prohibitions,  or  didactick  parts 
of  Scripture.  The  following  texts,  selected  almost 
at  random,  will  be  sufficient  for  the  purpose.* 


THE    DISINTERESTEDNESS    AND 
SELF-DENIAL  OP  HOLY  LOVE. 


THE    BIAS    OF     SIN    TOWARDS 
ONE'S    OWN    INTEREST. 


"  Charity — seeketh  not 
her  own." 

"  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  him- 
self and  take  up  his  cross." 


"  If  thou  turn  away — from 
doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy 
day, — not  doing  thine  own 
ways,  nor  finding  thine  own 
pleasure, — then — I  will — feed 
thee." 


"  Men  shall  be  lovers  of 
their  own  selves." 

"  Who  have  said, — our 
lips  are  our  own,  who  is  lord 
over  us  ?  "  My  river  is  my 
own,  and  I  have  made  it  for 
myself." 

"  How  can  ye  believe 
which  receive  honour  one  of 
another  ?" 


*  Some  of  the  texts  in  the  left  column  are  quoted  only  to  show 
how  constantly  the  divine  Spirit  espouses  the  part  of  others  against 
self,  by  appealing  to  what  we  ourselves  have  done  against  others,  or 
what  mercy  we  ourselves  need  from  others,  or  by  insisting  that  our 
regard  for  others  should  be  measured  by  the  claims  which  we  make 
on  them.  In  the  right  column  several  texts  are  inserted  merely  to 
show  how  many  different  sorts  of  sin  may  at  first  sight,  or  by  a  mo- 
ment's reflection,  be  traced  to  this  source, 


96 


SUPREME    LOVE 


[LECT.  IV 


"  Whosoever  will  lose  his 
life  for  my  sake  shall  find 
it." 

"Let  no  man  seek  his 
own,  but  every  man  another's 
wealth."  "  Look  not  every 
man  on  his  own  things,  but 
every  man  also  on  the  things 
of  others." 

"  As  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also 
to  them  likewise."  "  For  all 
the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one 
word,  even  in  this,  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
"  We  then  that  are  strong 
ought  to  bear  the  infirmities 
of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please 
ourselves.  Let  every  one  of 
us  please  his  neighbour  for  his 
good  to  edification ;  for  even 
Christ  pleased  not  Himself." 
"  If  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a 
fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual 
restore  such  a  one  in  the  spi- 
rit of  meekness,  considering 
thyself  lest  thou  also  be  tempt- 
ed. Bear  ye  one  another's 
burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law 
of  Christ."  "  Take  no  heed 
unto  all  words  that  are  spo- 
ken, lest  thou  hear  thy  servant 
curse  thee  :  for  oftentimes  al- 
so thiue  own  heart  knowetk 
that  thou  thyself  likewise  hast 
cursed  others/' 


"  Whosoever  will  save  his 
life  shall  lose  it" 

"  All  seek  their  own,  not 
the  things  which  are  Jesus 
Christ's."  "  They — serve  not 
our  Lord  Josus  Christ,  but 
their  own  belly." 

"  If  ye  were  of  the  world 
tlie  world  would  love  his 
own;  but  because  ye  are  not 
of  the  world, — therefore  the 
world  hateth  you." 

a  Why  beholdest  thou  the 
mote  that  is  in  thy  brothers 
eye,  and  considerest  not  the 
beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
eye?"  "Wherein  thou  judg- 
est  another  thou  condemnest 
thyself. — Thou— art  confident 
that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide 
of  the  blind: — an  instructer  of 
the  foolish. — Thou  therefore 
which  teachest  another, te&elu 
est  thou  not  thyself?  Thou 
that  preachest  a  man  should 
not  steal,  dost  thou  steal  ?" 


LECT. 


IV.] 


OH    ENMITV. 


97 


"  Avenge  not  yourselves, 
but  rather  give  place  unto 
wrath."  "  Recompense  no 
man  evil  for  evil."  "  Forgive, 
and  ye  shall  be  forgiven." 
"Love  your  enemies,  tlo  good 
to  them  which  hate  you,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  and  pray 
for  them  that  despitefully  use 
you.  And  unto  him  that 
smiteth  thee  on  the  cheek,  of- 
fer also  the  other. — For  if  ye 
love  them  which  love  you, 
what  thank  have  ye  ?  for  sin- 
ners also  love  those  that  love 
them.  And  if  ye  do  good  to 
them  which  do  good  to  you, 
what  thank  have  ye  ?  for  sin- 
ners also  do  even  the  same." 

"  If  there  be — .any  comfort 
of  love,— -let  nothing  be  done 
through  strife  or  vain  glory  ; 
but  in  lowliness  of  mind  let 
each  esteem  other  better  than 
themselves."  "  Be  kindly  af- 
fectioned  one  to  another  with 
brotherly  love,  in  honour  pre- 
ferring one  another."  "  Seek- 
est  thou  great  tilings  for  thy- 
self? Seek  them  not."  "  Mind 
iiot  high  things,  but  conde- 
scend to  men  of  low  estate. 
Be  not  wise  in  your  own  con- 
ceits." "  For  I  say — to  ev- 
ery man — not  to  think  of  him- 
self more  highly  than  he  ought 
13 


"  From  whence  come  wars 
and  fightings  among  you  ? 
Come  they  not  hence,  even 
of  your  lusts  ?  [selfish  covet- 
ings,  according  to  that  ex- 
planation, "  I  had  not  known 
lust  except  the  law  had  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet."]— Ye 
lust  and  have  not ;  ye  kill, 
and  desire  to  have,  and  can- 
not obtain ;  ye  fight,  and  war, 
and  yet  ye  hav&  not." 


"  Only  by  pride  comeih 
contention"  [The  selfish- 
ness of  pride  is  apparent 
to  all.]  «  He  that  is  of 
a  proud  heart  stirreth  up 
strife."  "Desirous  of  vain 
glory,  provoking  one  another, 
envying  one  another."  "  Pre- 
sumptuous are  they,  self- 
willed,  they  are  not  afraid  to 
speak  evil  of  dignities."  «  Ye 
are  they  which  justify  your- 
selves before  men."  "  I  have 
spread  out  my  hands  all  day 
unto  a  rebellious  people, — 
which  say,  Stand  by  thyself, 
come  not  near  to  me,  for  Jam 


98 


SUPREME   LOVE 


[lect 


IV. 


to  think,"  «  We  had  the  sen- 
tence of  death  in  ourselves, 
that  we  should  not  trust  in 
ourselves  but  in  God."  "  Trust 
in  the  Lord  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  lean  not  unto  thine  own 
understanding, — Be  not  wise 
in  thine  own  eyes."  "  Cha- 
rity vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not 
puffed  up." 

"  We  preach  not  ourselves, 
but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
and  ourselves  your  servants 
for  Jesus  sake."  "  Being 
affectionately  desirous  of  you, 
we  were  willing  to  have  im- 
parted unto  you,  not  the  Gos- 
pel of  God  only,  but  also  our 
own  souls,  because  ye  were 
dear  unto  us." 

"  Who  shall  dwell  in  thy 
holy  hill  ? — he  that  sweareth 
to  his  own  hurt  and  changeth 
not." 


"  Render — to  all  their  dues; 
tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due, 
custom  to  whom  custom.— 
Owe  no  man  any  thing  but  to 
love  one    another." 

"  Him  that  taketh  away 
thy  cloak,  forbid  not  to  take 


holier  than  thou."  "  Thou 
hast  done  foolishly  in  lifting 
up  thyself."  «  Be  not  right- 
eous overmuch,  neither  make* 
thyself  overvvise." 


"  Some  indeed  preach 
Christ  even  of  envy  and 
strife. — The  one  preach 
Christ  of  contention, — the 
other  of  love."  "  He  that 
is  a  hireling,-— whose  own 
the  sheep  are  not,  seeth  the 
wolf  coming,  and  leaveth 
the  sheep  and  fleeth." 

"  Take  ye  heed  every  one 
of  his  neighbour,  and  trust 
ye  not  in  any  brother ;  for 
every  brother  will  utterly 
supplant,  and  every  neigh- 
bour will  walk  with  slan- 
ders. And  th'ey  will  deceive 
every  one  his  neighbour,  and 
will  not  speak  the  truth." 

"  The  balances  of  deceit 
are  in  his  hand ;  he  loveth 
oppression," 


"  There  is  utterly  a  fault 
among  you  because  ye  go  to 


LECT.  IV.] 


OR    ENMITY. 


99 


thy  coat  also.  Give  to  every 
one  that  asketh  of  thee,  and 
of  him  that  taketh  away  thy 
goods  ask  them  not  again. — 
If  you  lend  to  them  of  whom 
ye  hope  to  receive,  what 
thank  have  ye  ?  for  sinners 
also  lend  to  sinners  to  re- 
ceive  as  much  again.  But — 
do  good  and  lend,  homing  for 
nothing  again." 

"  Use   hospitality  one  to 
another  without  grudging." 


"  Sell  that  ye  have  and 
give  alms."  "  Remember — 
them  which  suffer  adversity, 
as  being  yourselves  also  in  the 
body." 


law  one  with  another.  Why 
do  ye  not  rather  take  wrong  ? 
Why  do  ye  not  rather  suffer 
yourselves  to  be  defrauded  ? 
Nay  ye  do  wrong  and  de- 
fraud, and  that  your  bre- 
thren." 


"  They  murmured  against 
the  good  man  of  the  house, 
saying,  These  have  wrought 
but  one  hour,  and  thou  hast 
made  them  equal  unto  us 
which  have  borne  the  burden 
and  heat  of  the  day." 

"  Hear  this  word,  ye  kine 
of  Bashan — which  oppress 
the  poor"* 


These  passages,  and  numberless  others  which 
might  he  selected,  manifestly  take  it  for  granted 
that  the  controversy  lies  between  a  man's  own  self 

*  Ps.  xii.  4.  and  iv.  1,  4.  Prov.  iii.  5,  7.  and  xiii.  10.  and  xxviii.  25. 
and  xxx.  32.  Eccl.  vii.  16,  21,  22.  Isai.  lviii.  13,  14.  and  lxv.  2,  5. 
Jer.  ix.  4,  5.  and  xlv.  5.  Ezek.  xxix.  3.  Hos.  xii.  7.  Amos  iv.  1.  Mat. 
vii.  3.  and  xvi.  24,  25.  and  xx.  11,  12.  Luke  vi.  27 — 37.  and  xii.  33.  and 
xvi.  15.  John  x.  12-  and  xv.  19.  Horn.  ii.  1,  17 — 23.  and  vii.  7.  and 
xii.  3,  10,  16,  19.  and  xiii.  7,  8.  and  xv.  1—3.  and  xvi.  18.  1  Cor.  vi.  7, 
8.  and  x.  24.  and  xiii.  4,  5.  2  Gor.  i.  9.  and  iv.  5.  Gal.  v.  14,  26.  and 
vi.  1,  2.  Phil.  i.  15—17.  and  ii.  1,  3,  4,  21.  1  Thes.  ii.  8.  2  Tim,  iii 
£     Ileb.  xiii.  3     James  iv.  1,  2.     1  Pet.  iv.  9.     2  Pet.  ii.  10. 


100  SUPREME  LOVE        [LECT.  IV* 

and  all  beings  beyond  hhn,  and  to  an  eye  that 
closely  inspects  them  render  it  sufficiently  evident 
that  self-denial  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  ho- 
liness, and  that  the  great  root  of  sin  is  inordinate 
self-love. 

II.     Every  man  who  is  not  supremely  attached 
to  God,  is  supremely  attached  to  himself. 

Every  man  has  some  one  object  of  supreme  re- 
gard. This  will  probably  not  be  denied.  It  will 
hardly  be  pretended  that  among  the  objects  in  high- 
est esteem  there  are  several  which  hold  exactly  an 
equal  rank.  Every  man  has  his  ruling  passion  ; 
every  man  has  his  god  ;  every  man  has  his  "  mas- 
terP  But  "  no  man  can  serve  two  masters."  I 
assume  then  that  every  man  has  some  one  object 
of  supreme  regard.  But  in  the  universe  there  are 
but  two  that  can  possibly  rise  to  this  rank,  God 
and  self.  Where  can  you  find  a  third  ?  Is  it  the 
world  ?  But  all  inordinate  love  of  the  world  is 
comprehended  in  se/f-love,  as  has  been  already 
shown.  Where  tlien  can  you  find  the  third?  If 
there  were  a  third  it  must  be  some  fellow  creature, 
or  community  of  creatures.  But  no  man  ever  loved 
his  fellow  creatures  supremely.  The  social  affec- 
tions may  restrain  selfishness,  but  cannot  dethrone 
self.  Wherever  one's  essential  interest  in  both, 
worlds  comes  in  competition  with  that  of  others, 
self-love  and  not  the  social  affections  will  prevail. 
For  the  proof  of  this  I  confidently  appeal  to  every 
man's  consciousness,  and  am  willing  to  rest  my 
cause  there  without  further  argument. 


LECT.  IV.]  Oil    ENMITY.  101 

It  may  then  be  adopted  as  an  incontrovertible 
maxim,  that  every  man  makes  either  God  or  himself 
his  supreme  object.* 

•  There  are  some  who  disown  the  distinction  between  selfish  and 
disinterested  affections  ;  and  others,  who  while  they  admit  the  distinc- 
tion, maintain  that  all  men  love  themselves  supremely,  (that  is,  desire 
their  own  happiness  more  than  any  thing  else,)  and  that  the  only  dif- 
ference between  a  good  and  a  bad  man  is,  that  one  places  his  happiness 
in  right  things,  the  other  in  taring.  In  answer  to  the  first  class,  I  free- 
ly concede  that  in  two  thing's  all  being's  agree, — in  following  their  incli- 
nations, and  in  finding  their  happiness,  so  far  as  tlicy  find  it  at  all,  in 
the  gratification  of  their  inclinations.  But  the  great  difference  lies  in 
their  objects.  The  object  of  the  selfish  man  is  the  gratification  of  him- 
self';  the  object  of  the  disinterested  man,  the  happiness  of  others.  One 
follows  his  inclinations  for  the  mere  satisfaction  which  he  is  thence  to 
derive  ;  the  other,  for  the  happiness  which  he  hopes  to  impart  to  others. 
When  you  spring  to  catch  a  falling  child,  is  it  from  the  refection  that 
you  must  suffer  with  it,  or  from  direct  regard  to  the  comfort  of  the 
child  ?  Do  you  wish  that  your  dying  friend  may  be  happy,  or  merely 
that  you.  may  think  he  is  happy  ?  In  laying  out  a  course  of  benevolent 
conduct,  where  the  mind  has  leisure  to  contemplate  all  the  good  re- 
sulting from  its  plans,  self-love  will  doubtless  take  into  account  the 
personal  satisfaction  of  doing  good.  But  if  self-love  stood  alone,  whence 
tlie  satisfaction  of  imparting  happiness  ?  If  I  love  only  myself,  why  is 
it  a  pleasure  to  relieve  another  ?  Whence  comes  the  inclination  ?  Tliat 
must  be  in  complete  existence  before  I  have  any  chance  to  draw  per- 
sonal comfort  from  its  indulgence.  It  could  not  be  created  by  the  re- 
flection that  if  I  possessed  and  indulged  it  I  should  be  happy.  But  can 
it  be  necessary  to  employ  arguments  to  prove  that  we  are  capable  of 
really  loving  another,  and  of  being  gratified  by  his  happiness  in  itself 
considered  ?     And  this  is  all  that  any  one  means  by  disinterested  love. 

In  reply  to  the  other  class,  I  as  freely  concede  that  the  difference 
between  a  good  and  a  bad  man  consists  in  their  placing-  their  happiness, 
the  one  in  right  things,  the  other  in  wrong.  But  is  it  the  right  things, 
or  his  own  happiness,  which  the  good  man  makes  his  supreme  object? 
This  is  the  question.  While  the  wicked  place  their  whole  happiness 
in  gratifying  affections  which  terminate  in  themselves  or  a  limited  circle, 
the  "right  things"  in  which  the  good  place  their  highest  happiness, 
(I  suppose  will  not  be  denied,)  arc  the  glory  of  God  and  the  prosperity 


103  SUPREME  LOVE*  [lECT.  IV. 

III.  Supreme  self-love  necessarily  produces 
enmity  to  God. 

The  simple  reason  is  that  God  is  opposed  to 
this  idolatry,  and  requires  upon  pain  of  eternal 
death  that  universal  love  which  will  fix  the  heart 
supremely  on  Himself.  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  ivith  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind, — and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself:"*  thyself  then  only  as  thy  neighbour.  If 
supreme  love  to  your  neighbour  is  not  allowed, 
neither  is  supreme  love  to  yourself.  But  is  your 
neighbour  to  be  loved  with  all  the  heart,  and  soul, 
and  mind  ?  That  love  is  reserved  for  God.  And 
it  is  supreme,  unless  one,  at  the  same  moment  that 
he  thus  loves  God,  can  love  another  object  with 
more  than  all  the  heart,  and  soul,  and  mind.  Thus 
speaks  the  Law,  and  sanctions  the  precept  with  ail 
its  curses.     And  what  says  the  Gospel?     "If  any 

of  His  kingdom.  Now  I  ask,  is  the  satisfaction  which  they  hope  to  de- 
rive to  themselves  from  that  good,  or  the  good  itself y  their  supreme  ob- 
ject ?  Do  they  rejoice  more  in  the  reflection  that  they,  (rather  than 
others,)  shall  enjoy  the  sight  of  God's  glory,  than  that  God  will  be 
glorified  ?  If  so,  they  no  longer  place  their  supreme  happiness  in  His 
glory,  but  in  their  own  gratification, — a  gratification  more  refined  in- 
deed than  the  grosser  pleasures  of  sense,  but  still  personal  and  private. 
To  say  that  they  place  their  supreme  happiness  in  the  glory  of  God, 
and  yet  make  their  own  happiness  the  highest  object,  is  a  plain  con- 
tradiction. For  to  place  their  supreme  happiness  in  the  glory  of  God, 
necessarily  implies  that  they  love  and  value  His  glory  more  than  any 
other  object.  I  love  that  most  in  which  I  place  my  highest  delight. 
How  comes  it  to  pass  that  the  glory  of  God  gives  me  the  greatest  sa- 
tisfaction, unless  I  love  it  most  ?  And  if  I  love  it  most,  I  seek  it  most, 
And  if  I  love  and  seek  it  most,  T  make  it  my  supreme  object. 
*  Mat.  xxiir37— 39. 


LECT.  IV.]  OR    EMM1TY.  103 

man  come  to  me  and  hate  not  his  father,  and  mo- 
ther, and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sis- 
ters, yea  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  he  my 
disciple"*  By  the  consent  then  of  both  Law  and 
Gospel,  all  are  consigned  to  eternal  death  who  do 
not  love  God  supremely. 

This  it  is  which  rouses  the  war.  Supreme  self- 
ishness cannot  but  be  the  eternal  enemy  of  a  God 
who  makes  such  demands,  and  enforces  them  with 
such  penalties ;  because  the  demands  and  sanctions 
crush  and  destroy  all  its  dearest  interests.  Here 
lies  the  main  ground  of  hostility.  "  The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  [because']  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
be.??f  A  moral  Governour,  who  has  never  been  re- 
vealed but  in  the  attitude  of  standing  with  a  drawn1 
sword  between  the  sinner  and  his  idols,  and  say- 
ing. Touch  that  idol  and  you  die,  cannot  but  be 
hated  by  a  supremely  selfish  heart.  Since  the 
world  began  was  it  ever  known  that  one  stood  full 
in  the  way  of  another's  supreme  object,  and  was 
not  hated  ?  The  man  that  idolizes  himself  and  the 
instruments  of  his  own  gratiiication,  cannot  but  hate 
the  divine  holiness,  because  the  whole  strength  of 
that  perfection  acts  directly  against  him.  The 
whole  exhibition  of  that  perfection  consists  in  the 
prohibition  and  punishment  of  this  idolatry, — in 
the  voice  that  sounds  through  heaven  and  earth; 
li  Thou  shalt  have  no   oilier   gods  before   me  f* 

*  Luke  xiv.  26.  t  Rom.  viii.  7. 


101  SUPREME    LOVE  [lECT.    IV. 

6  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart, — and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself/7  or  suffer 
eternal  pain.  Remove  that  prohibition  and  punish- 
ment, and  you  cover  from  creatures  every  trace  of 
the  divine  holiness.  Against  the  man  then  who 
supremely  loves  himself,  the  whole  strength  of  the 
divine  holiness  exclusively  acts ;  against  all  the 
holiness  of  God,  (indeed  against  His  whole  author- 
ity,J  acts  the  man  whose  heart  centres  in  himself. 
What  but  enmitv  and  eternal  war  can  subsist  in 
such  a  case? 

But  you  say,  I  certainly  can  love  another  object 
while  I  love  myself  supremely.  You  can,  where 
that  object  does  not  interfere  with  self-love  by  es- 
sentially opposing  your  own  interest.  But  you 
ask,  Can  I  not  love  an  earthly  parent  some  while  L 
love  myself  more  P  No, — -if  that  parent  unchange- 
ably declares,  I  will  treat  you  as  an  enemy  forever 
unless  you  love  me  supremely ;  do  this  or  die  ; — 
if  he  follows  you  wherever  you  go,  and  fills  your 
ears  with  this  sound  from  morning  to  night,  and 
from  month  to  month, — if  every  gift  which  he  puts 
into  your  hand  is  accompanied  with  this  declara- 
tion,— and  especially  if  his  character  is  all  of  a 
fiece.  Your  deaf  and  forgetful  brother,  who  is 
unconscious  of  his  father's  law  and  character,  may 
love  his  gifts,  and  feel  some  gratitude  to  the  giver ; 
but  you,  as  certainly  as  you  love  yourself  supreme- 
ly, can  never  love  such  a  parent,  but  must  feel  the 
strongest  enmity  against  him.  But  you  say,  I 
could  exercise  some  love  towards  him  if  I  was  con- 


1LECT.  IV.]  OR   ENMITY,  105 

vinced  that  His  law  was  just.  What,  love  justice 
against  yourself,  and  yet  be  supremely  selfish  !  If 
your  own  interest  is  paramount  in  your  affections 
to  all  other  considerations,  what  can  induce  you  to 
love  that  justice  which  destroys  your  interest  ? 
That  you  might  love  the  justice  if  it  were  not 
against  you,  I  do  not  deny.  I  have  admitted  that 
sinners  would  not  hate  God  if  His  law  were  not 
against  them.  It  of  course  happens  that  they  who 
have  expunged  from  their  creed  all  intimations  of 
punishment,  find  no  difficulty  in  loving  the  god 
which  their  fancies  have  formed.  The  enmity  of 
sinners  is  not  disinterested  but  selfish,  as  it  must 
be  if  it  arises  from  inordinate  self-love.  But  did 
you  ever  know  a  selfish,  man  who  loved  the  law  that 
condemned  him  ?  or  loved  the  law-giver,  whose 
ivliole  character  was  transfused  into  the  law,  and 
who  was  himself  the  executioner  P 

Love  the  justice  which  condemns  you  !  Do. you 
consider  where  you  stand  ?  You  have  now  taken 
the  ground  of  disinterested  and  holy  love.  And 
what,  I  pray,  can  prevent  that  affection  from  fixing 
supremely  on  God  ?  There  is  more  in  Him  to  please 
and  gratify  such  an  affection  than  in  the  universe 
besides.  Do  you  say,  That  affection  will  indeed 
love  God  more  than  the  same  affection  will  love 
any  thing  else,  but  it  is  weak,  and  self-love  is 
strong  and  has  predominating  influence?  The  ques- 
tion then  comes  to  this,  Whether  an  affection  which 
delights  in  God  above  all  things,  can  exist  in  a  soul 
that  is  under  the  governing  influence  of  selfishness, 
and  of  course  under  the  governing  influence  of  en- 
1* 


106  SUPREME  LOVE         [LECT.  IV. 

iiiity  to  God.  Now  did  you  ever  find  a  mind  ba- 
lanced after  this  sort?  Did  you  ever  find  a  mind  go- 
verned by  enmity  against  a  man  of  a  uniform  and 
consistent  character,  and  at  the  same  time  possessed 
of  an  affection  which  loved  his  tvhole  character 
more  than  any  other  object,  more  than  even  self? 
Such  a  phenomenon  has  never  appeared  in  the 
moral  or  social  world,  and  the  fancy  which  created 
it  is  only  a  dream.  It  is  apparent  then  that  there 
cannot  be  a  particle  of  disinterested  and  holy  love 
which  does  not  fix  supremely  on  God,  (whenever 
the  mind  has  a  distinct  view  of  Him,)  nor  a  parti- 
cle of  love  to  God,  which,  (under  the  same  circum- 
stances,) does  not  govern  the  soul;  and  that  where 
self-love  predominates,  (in  a  fair  view  of  all  the  ob- 
jects which  solicit  regard,)  enmity  to  God  must  ex- 
ist, must  prevail,  and  exclude  every  better  affection 
towards  Him.  No  affection  but  that  of  universal 
love  will  truly  fix  on  God  ;  but  howr  can  universal 
love  exist  in  a  heart  that  would  sacrifice  the  uni- 
verse to  serve  a  private  end  ? 

I  have  one  more  question  on  this  subject.  If 
supreme  selfishness  is  not  sufficient  to  produce  en- 
mity to  God,  pray  what  ever  did  'produce  it  in  any 
mind  f  What  greater  cause  ever  produced  it  in 
wicked  men  or  devils  ?  Nothing  worse  existed  in 
Cain  or  Judas,  nothing  worse  can  be  found  in  hell. 

IV.  It  follows  from  these  principles  that  all 
men  by  nature  are  the  enemies  of  God. 

Independently  of  these  reasonings  it  might  be 
concluded  that  if  there  is  any  such  thing  in  the 
w7orld  as  "  the  fleshly  mind"  which  "  is  enmity  a- 


1.ECT.  IV.]  OR    ENMITY.  107 

gainst  God,"  it  must  belong  to  every  one  that  is 
"  born  of  the  flesh/'    for  "  that  which  is  born  of 
the  flesh  is  flesh"  in  every  instance  ;  that  if  there 
is  any  such  tiling  in  the  world  as   "  the  natural 
man"  who  regards   "the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God"  as  "foolishness/"  it  must  be  every  man  as  he  is 
formed  by  nature.*     But  I  have  heard  it  said  that 
though  mankind  were  thus  depraved  as  they  stood 
connected  with  the  first  Adam,  thev  were  in  some 
degree  restored  by  Christ,  and  in  this  restored  state 
are  born  into  the  world.    Now  if  what  has  been  said 
under  the  preceding  heads  is  true,  this  question  is 
fairly  laid  to  rest.      None  are  in  fact  raised  above 
the  character  of  enemies  of  God  but  they  who  are 
restored  to  supreme  love.     After  all  that  Christ 
has  done  the  world  are  still  divided  into  two  class- 
es, they  who  hate  God,  and  they  who  love  Him  su- 
premely.     All  who  are  not  restored  to  the  temper 
of  real  Christians  and  martyrs,  are  settled  in  enmi- 
ty against  Him,  without  one  solitary  emotion  of 
love.  And  what  were  they  ever  worse  than  this  even 
in  the  eye  of  law  ?     What  worse  character   does 
any  evangelical  minister  ascribe  to   "  the  fleshly 
mind,"  as  it  now  is,   or  as  it  ever  was  ?     Until 
therefore  you  prove,  in  opposition  to  the  whole  te- 
nour  of  revelation  and  experience,  that  all  the  world 
are  supremely  attached  to  the  true  God,  you  must 
admit  that  some  are  not  raised  a  whit  above  their 
original  pollution. 

Again  1  have  heard  it  said  that  "  the  natural 
man"  is  a  heathen,  and  that  the  Regeneration 
which  our  Saviour  pronounced  so  necessary  for 

Johniii.  6,    Rom  vili.  7.     1  Cor.  ii.  14. 


108  SUPREME  LOVE        [LECT.  IT, 

admission  to  His  kingdom,*  is  only  a  turning 
from  paganism.  This  by  the  way  would  fairly 
exclude  every  heathen  on  earth  from  salvation, — - 
an  inference  not  very  acceptable  to  the  generality 
of  those  who  would  fritter  down  Regeneration  to 
this.  It  may  also  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to  some 
that  a  Jewish  ruler  should  have  heard  with  so  much 
astonishment  that  pagans  must  be  converted  to  the 
revealed  faith.  But  let  that  pass.  I  ask  whether 
there  are  none  in  Christian  countries  who  are  under 
the  supreme  dominion  of  self-love  ?  none  with  an 
historick  faith  who  serve  "  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator?7'  none  that  belong  to  the  Church  who 
love  "  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of 
God"  ?  none  who  cover  even  with  canonicals  a 
heart  supremely  attached  to  the  world  ?  If  these 
you  find,  you  find  all  the  attributes  of  "  the  fleshly 
mind"  within  the  pale  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Why  then  go  to  pagan  countries  to  seek  "  the 
natural  man"  ?  The  whole  population  of  Christen- 
dom are  enemies  of  God,  with  the  bare  exception 
of  those  who  love  Him  supremely.  And  if  of  all  that 
population  none  love  Him  better  than  life  till  "  the 
love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  [their]  hearts  by  the 
Itoly  Ghost ,"f  then  none  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Christendom,  as  they  are  born  into  the  world,  pos- 
sess any  other  temper  than  that  of  God's  enemies. 

Thus  I  have  finished  what  was  proposed.  And 
now  may  we  not  all  find  sufficient  reason  to  lay  our 
hands  on  our  hearts  ?  We  may  often  have  seen 
sin  in  ourselves  without  knowing  it,  and  may  have 
promoted  the  deception  by  calling  it  by  another 

*  John  iii-  3,  5.  f  Rom.  v.  5. 


LECT.  IV.]  OR   ENMITY,  109 

name  ;  and  while  restrained  from  actual  crimes,  we 
may  have  wondered  at  the  strong  charges  of  the  di- 
vine Word  against  us.  But  if  every  undue  bias  in 
our  own  favour  contains  in  itself  the  grand  princi- 
ple of  all  rebellion  against  God,  we  need  only  watch 
our  hearts  for  a  single  hour  to  find  reason  enough 
to  exclaim  with  distress  and  amazement,  "  The 
whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint !" 
In  the  strong  workings  of  this  polluted  principle 
we  may  discover  the  deep  and  dreadful  malignity 
of  sin  ;  and  our  wonder  that  we  are  thus  charged, 
will  soon  yield  to  greater  wonder  that  Ave  are  out 
of  everlasting  despair.  What  reason  for  humility 
and  self-loathing  !  for  shame,  and  grief,  and  tears  ! 
If  supreme  attachment  to  the  creature  is  itself 
Total  Depravity,  I  tremble  as  I  inquire  how  many 
of  my  hearers  are  still  totally  depraved.  Should 
an  angel  pass  from  seat  to  seat  with  a  commission 
to  take  the  account,  how  many  of  you  would  he 
find  supremely  attached  to  the  world  ?  how  many, 
more  anxious  for  the  success  of  their  commercial 
pursuits,  than  for  the  interest  of  the  Church  and  the 
glory  of  God?  how  many,  more  enamoured  of  a- 
musements  than  prayer  ?  how  many,  more  eager  to 
exalt  themselves  than  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ? 
Precisely  that  number  he  would  write  down  totally 
depraved,  and  God  would  approve  the  record. 

My  dear  hearers,  do  you  love  God?  Do  you 
love  the  God  that  made  and  redeemed  you, — the 
God  of  infinite  and  eternal  love, — the  treasure  and 
glory  of  the  universe  ?  All  heaven  is  full  of  exul- 
tation and  transport  that  such  a  God  exists,  and  do 

*  Rom.  v.  5. 


110  SUPREME    LOVE,  &C.  [jLECT.  IV. 

you  love  Him  ?  Without  that  love  you  arc  wretch- 
es to  eternity  in  whatever  world  you  dwell.  With- 
out that  love  you  are  wretches  on  the  highest  throne 
in  glory.  You  are  pressed  witli  infinite  obligations, 
and  do  you  love  that  God  ?  Let  the  question  reach 
every  part  of  the  house,  and  ring  through  every  con- 
science, Do  you  love  the  ever-blessed  God  ?  Love 
Him  !  we  should  be  monsters  if  we  did  not  love 
Him.  Amen  to  that, — but  do  you  really  love  Him  ? 
Ho  you  love  Him  better  than  father  or  mother,  wife 
or  children,  houses  or  lands,  or  life  itself  P  That  we 
cannot  say.  Then,  my  dear  hearers,  you  have  not 
a  particle  of  love  to  God  in  your  hearts.  Nay 
more, — how  shall  I  utter  the  dreadful  charge  ! — 
You  are  His  enemies.  Enemies  of  God  !  In  what 
world  am  I  ?  I  see  not  the  chains  and  bars  around 
me — am  I  in  the  world  that  was  once  wet  with  a 
Saviours  blood?  am  I  in  an  assembly  of  people 
for  whom  He  died  ?  Enemies  of  God !  Why 
what  evil  hath  He  done  f  If  you  are  resolved  to 
remain  His  foes  I  will  follow  you  with  this  mov- 
ing entreaty  till  I  die,  Why  what  evil  hath  He 
done  P  Is  it  for  the  love  that  gave  being  to  num- 
berless worlds,  and  feeds  them  all  from  the  stores 
of  His  bounty  ?  Is  it  for  the  love  that  sent  His  only 
Son  to  expire  on  a  cross  ?  Is  it  for  the  compassion 
that  cries  after  you  from  year  to  year?  But  I 
have  done.  When  it  shall  be  told  another  day 
that  redeemed  sinners  were  enemies  of  God, — I 
had  almost  said,-— all  heaven  will  be  in  tears  ! 


LECTURE  V. 


REGENERATION  NOT  PROGRESSIVE, 


EZEKIEL  XL  19. 

I  Will,  PUT  A  NEW  SPIHIT  WITHIN  YOU  ;  AND  I  WILL  TAKE  THE  STONX 
HEART  OUT  OF  THEIR  FLESH,  AND  WILL  GIVE  THEM  A  HEART  OJ 
FLESH. 

There  is  a  phenomenon  hi  the  moral  world 
for  which  no  adequate  natural  cause  has  ever  yet 
been  assigned.  I  mean  a  great  and  sudden  change 
of  temper  and  character,  brought  about  under  a 
strong  impression  of  scriptural  truths  ;  a  change  in 
many  cases  from  habitual  vice  and  malignity  to 
the  sweetness  and  purity  of  the  Christian  spirit, 
and  continuing  to  manifest  itself  in  a  new  charac- 
ter through  life,  accompanied,  if  you  will  believe 
the  subjects,  with  new  views  of  God,  and  Christ, 
and  divine  things  in  general,  and  with  new  feelings 
towards  them.  This  change  is  discovered  in  peo- 
ple of  all  temperaments ;  in  the  phlegmatick  as 
well  as  the  ardent,  in  the  slow  and  cautious  as  well 
as  the  impetuous  and  sanguine,  in  minds  wholly 
subject  to  the  understanding  as  well  as  those  which 


112  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V» 

yield  more  to  the  dominion  of  the  imagination. 
It  takes  place  in  people  of  all  ranks  and  conditions ; 
in  the  wise  and  learned  as  well  as  the  simple  and 
ignorant,  in  persons  insulated  by  society  of  a  dif- 
ferent cast,  and  strongly  prejudiced  against  the  be- 
lief of  such  a  change.  Thousands  who  are  not  mad, 
but  cool,  dispassionate,  and  wise,  the  ornaments 
of  society  and  of  learning,  whose  word  would  be 
taken  in  any  other  case,  and  who  certainly  ought 
to  be  regarded  as  competent  judges,  tell  you  that 
they  have  had  opportunity  to  see  both  sides,  as  the 
revilers  of  this  doctrine  have  not ;  that  they  once 
looked  upon  the  subject  with  the  eyes  of  their  op- 
ponents, but  have  since  seen  for  themselves,  and 
do  assuredly  know  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a 
spiritual  change  of  heart.  And  what  witnesses 
can  you  oppose  to  these  ?  Men  who  have  nothing 
to  offer  but  mere  negative  testimony, — who  can 
only  say,  they  know  of  no  such  thing. 

To  this  interesting  change,  as  the  Second 
grand  topick  of  the  Course,  I  am  now  to  draw  your 
attention.  But  as  the  reasonings  on  this  point  will 
be  founded  on  truths  already  established,  it  is 
necessary  to  lay  these  truths  before  you  again  and 
at  one  view.  It  has  been  proved  that  holiness 
radically  consists  in  universal  love  which  fixes 
the  heart  supremely  on  God ;  that  sin  has  its  root 
in  affections  limited  to  a  private  circle,  but  chiefly 
in  selfishness,  including  as  a  main  part  the  love 
of  the  world ;  that  every  man  makes  either  God 
or  himself  the  object  of  his  chief  regard  \  that  su- 


r.ECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGKESS1YE.  113 

pre  me  self-love  necessarily  produces  enmity  to 
(iod,  to  the  utter  exclusion  of  every  better  affection 
towards  Him ;  that  they  who  do  not  love  God  su- 
premely are  destitute  of  true  charity  to  man,  and 
altogether  without  holiness  ;  that  this  is  the  native 
character  of  all  who  are  born  into  the  world, 
whether  in  pagan  or  Christian  countries. 

Out  of  these  truths  arises  the  necessity  of  that 
moral  change  which  is  denominated  Regeneration. 
The  reason  of  this  necessity  is  here  laid  open  to 
the  core,  and  proves  to  be  the  same  that  our  Sa- 
viour assigned  to  the  wondering  Nicodemus.  He 
had  astonished  that  Jewish  ruler  with  the  solemn 
asseveration,  "  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  God  ;"  and  while  the  Jew  stood  doubting 
and  amazed.  He  added,  as  the  sole  ground  of  this 
necessity,  u  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is 
fiesh  ;"*  in  other  words,  that  which  is  born  by 
natural  generation  is  "carnal,"  is  "enmity  against 
God,"  and  must  be  born  again. 

These  truths  disclose  also  the  precise  nature  of 
the  change  which  is  necessary.  It  is  a  transition 
from  supreme  selfishness  to  universal  love,— -from 
■enmity  against  God  to  supreme  attachment  to  Him. 
Of  course  it  must  be  the  greatest  change  that  ever 
lakes  place  in  the  human  affections. 

The  first  question  that  arises  on  the  subject  is, 
Whether  Regeneration  is  progressive  or  instanta- 

'9.     I  shall  attempt  to  prove  from  the  truths 

*  John  iii 

15 


114  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

already  established  and  from  other  considerations 
that  it  must  be  in  si  ant  an  eons.  It  is  not  necessary 
however  to  suppose  that  the  precise  time  is  always 
known.  Conceive  of  a  man  sitting  in  a  dungeon,  so 
occupied  in  thought  as  not  to  notice  the  change 
which  is  gradually  produced  by  a  light  approach- 
ing at  a  distance.  At  length  turning  his  eye  he 
discerns  objects,  and  perceives  that  light  has  been 
admitted  into  the  room ;  but  when  it  began  to  enter 
he  cannot  tell.  Still  there  was  a  moment  when 
the  first  ray  passed  the  casement.  So  in  the  pre- 
sent case,  the  evidence  of  the  change  may  be  earlier 
or  later  in  its  appearance,  and  more  or  less  rapid 
in  its  developeinent,  but  the  change  itself  is  always 
instantaneous.  Is  not  such  an  idea  more  than  im- 
plied in  the  text  ?  What  is  tiie  blessing  promised? 
Not  the  gradual  improvement  of  an  old  temper,  but 
"a  new  spirit;" — "the  stony  heart"  not  softened  by 
degrees  into  flesh,  but  by  one  decisive  effort  remov- 
ed and  a  heart  of  flesh  substituted  in  its  room. 

You  are  told  by  some  that  no  other  change  is 
necessary  than  what  is  accomplished  by  reason, 
gradually  resuming  its  empire  over  the  appetites 
and  passions.  But  this  theory  entirely  overlooks 
the  enmity  of  heart  that  refuses  to  yield  to  reason. 
It  arrays  its  ethicks  against  the  grosser  ebullitions 
of  sin,  but  leaves  the  seat  of  the  disorder  untouch- 
ed. You  are  told  by  others  that  through  the  in- 
fluence of  instruction,  example,  one's  own  exertions, 
and  the  common  operations  of  the  Spirit,  the  enmi- 
ty is  gradually  weakened  till  it  is  destroyed,  and 


LECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  115 

the  taste  of  .the  mind,  as  in  many  other  cases, 
is  brought  over  by  degrees  from  aversion  to  love. 
But  does  not  this,  and  every  other  theory  which  re- 
cognises the  principle  of  progressive  Regeneration, 
wholly  overlook  the  nature  of  the  disease,  and  the 
real  ground  of  the  native  enmity  ?  The  disease  is 
supreme  self-love;  the  ground  of  enmity,  that  God 
requires  upon  penalty  of  eternal  death  that  universal 
love  which  will  fix  the  heart  supremely  on  Himself. 
This  enmity  will  remain  and  exclude  every  parti- 
cle of  love,  as  long  as  self-love  is  supreme.  Now 
self-love  will  remain  supreme  till  the  chief  regard 
is  transferred  to  another  object.  But  in  the  uni- 
verse there  in  not  another  object  to  receive  it  but 
God  Himself.  Self-love  then  will  remain  supreme, 
and  support  tlm  enmity  in  all  its  vigour,  till  God  is 
supremely  loved.  As  long  as  the  sinner  loves  him- 
self chiefly  lie  is  the  enemy  of  God,  to  the  utter 
exclusion  of  every  better  affection  towards  Him ; 
the  moment  he  ceases  to  love  himself  supremely 
his  highest  affection  centres  in  God.  There  is 
no  intermediate  space.  No  time  can  elapse  be- 
tween the  last  moment  in  which  he  loves  himself  su- 
premely, and  the  first  moment  in  which  he  does  not. 
You  talk  of  the  taste's  being  brought  over  by  a 
gradual  process  from  enmity  to  love ;  but  can  you 
find  any  step  in  that  process  at  which  the  man  does 
not  either  love  the  world  better  than  God,  or  God 
better  than  the  world?  If  lie  loves  the  world  better 
than  God  he  has  made  no  progress  at  all ;  for  "if 
any  man  love  the  world  the  love  of  ike  Father  is  not 


tlQ  PtEGENERATION  [lect,   w 

in  h  im  ?l  and  if  no  love,  there  must  be  enmity :  u  He 
that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me."  "  The  friend- 
ship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God  ;  whosoever 
therefore  will  be  &  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy 
of  God."  u  Either  he  will  hate  the  one  and  love 
the  other,  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one  and  de- 
spise the  other."*  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  loves 
God  better  than  the  world  Regeneration  is  con- 
summated, and  there  is  no  room  for  progress. 
Either  then  he  has  made  no  advance  or  the 
work  is  complete.  In  every  step  of  the  supposed 
progress  he  is  either  an  enemy  to  God  or  loves 
Him  supremely. 

Yielding  then  the  point  that  the  man  is  an 
enemy  to  God  till  the  change  is  complete,  it  may  yet 
be  asked,  is  not  that  enmity  gradually  weakened  f 
It  cannot  be  radically  weakened  till  its  cause  is 
weakened,  which  is  supreme  self-love,  (or  more 
generally  the  love  of  the  creature,  for  the  social 
affections  too  may  set  up  their  objects  in  opposi- 
tion,) struggling  against  the  Law  and  administration 
of  God.  But  the  love  of  the  creature,  (in  which 
self-love  is  included,)  cannot  be  weakened  before 
the  love  of  God  is  introduced.  What  is  there  to 
weaken  it  ?  If  the  heart  is  taken  from  the  creature, 
it  must  be  set  on  another  object  or  be  annihilated. 
But  there  is  no  other  object  except  God  Himself. 
Before  the  love  of  God  therefore  is  implanted  there 
is  no  way  radically  to  weaken  the  enmity,  but  to 
weaken  all  the  affections  and  reduce  the  soul  near- 

*  Mat.  vi.  24.  and  xii.  30.    James  iv.  4.    1  John  ii.  15. 


LECT.  V.]  NOT   PROGRESSIVE,  117 

cr  to  a  state  of  insensibility.  And  even  then  the 
love  of  the  creature,  (the  sole  cause  of  the  hostili- 
ty.) would  exert  as  absolute  a  dominion  as  before, 
only  over  a  weaker  subject.  Particular  lusts  may 
be  absorbed  in  others,  but  the  current  of  sin  is  only 
turned  into  new  channels.  The  passions  may  be 
more  or  less  inflamed,  and  thus  the  actings  of  self- 
love  more  or  less  violent.  By  this  means  one  may 
sin  with  a  stronger  hand  than  another  of  equal 
capacity.  Again  the  passions  may  be  allayed,  and 
less  guilt  be  incurred  in  an  equal  time ;  but  the  su- 
preme love  of  the  creature,  which  is  the  prepara- 
tion in  the  soul  for  the  future  rage  of  all  these  pas- 
sions,  cannot  be  abated,  (at  least  its  dominion  can- 
not be  reduced,)  but  by  that  heavenly  charity  which 
fixes  the  heart  supremely  on  God. 

But  you  ask,  May  not  new  light  thrown  upon 
the  conscience  convince  the  mind  of  the  unreasona- 
bleness of  its  opposition,  and  thus  sooth  and  allay 
its  enmity?  I  answer  :  by  reasoning  you  may 
compose  the  passions  of  an  angry  man  without  at  all 
changing  his  disposition.  After  you  have  succeed- 
ed in  calming  the  risings  of  enmity  against  God,  I 
ask,  is  the  dominion  of  the  limited  affections  in  the 
least  abated  P  This  is  the  decisive  question  :  for 
supreme  attachment  to  the  creature  comprehends 
the  root  and  essence  of  the  whole  disease.  Now 
can  you  weaken  the  love  of  the  creature  by  light  P 
Or  to  confine  the  question  to  a  part  of  the  evil,  can 
you  by  light  and  conscience  weaken  the  power  of 
self-love  P     Can  you  reason  a  man  out  of  his  at- 


I  ( i  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

tacluncnt  to  himself?  Will  all  the  light  of  the  Last 
Day  abate  in  the  least  the  selfishness  of  the  wick- 
ed ?  Will  not  light  and  conscience  in  their  highest 
degrees  act  together  in  the  regions  of  despair,  with- 
out producing  any  other  effect  than  rage  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth?  No  but  the  living,  you  say,  possess 
hope.  Hope  !  and  can  you  then  bribe  a  man  to  be 
less  selfish  f  What,  bribe  a  man  to  hate  a  bribe  ! 
If  enmity  against  God  were  only  a  prejudice  aris- 
ing from  a  misconception  of  His  true  character,  it 
might  indeed  be  removed  by  light.  In  that  case 
it  would  not  be  a  sin  but  a  virtue  ;  for  to  hate  a 
false  image  of  God,  in  other  words,  a  false  God, 
is  a  duty.  But  if  the  heart  of  sinners  is  depra- 
ved, if  they  hate  the  true  character  of  God  in  what- 
ever form  it  appears,  they  will  hate  it  the  more  the 
more  it  is  seen,  and  light,  so  far  from  abating,  will  on- 
ly rouse  the  enmity  to  stronger  action.  You  may  con- 
vince theni  of  the  justice  of  the  divine  administra- 
tion; (that  indeed  will  not  rouse  their  enmity  :)  but 
while  they  love  their  own  interest  supremely,  what 
can  abate  their  hatred  of  a  law  which  says,  Thou 
slxalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  supremely,  or  suffer 
eternal  pain  ?  Can  the  love  of  private  interest  re- 
gard more  favourably  the  destruction  of  that  in- 
terest because  the  destruction  is  just  ?  And  can  self- 
love  hold  dominion  and  actually  govern  the  heart, 
and  not  controul  every  consideration  suggested  by 
conscience  to  oppose  its  power?  without  continuing 
to  array  the  whole  heart  against  the  absolute  de- 
stroyer  of  self-interest?      In  a  word,  can  supreme 


LECT.  Y.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  119 

love  to  one's  own  interest  radically  Late  either 
more  or  less  than  it  actually  does,  the  destruction 
of  that  interest,  or  any  arrangement  for  its  de- 
struction, while  the  capacity  of  the  soul  remains  the 
same  ? 

But  you  say  again,  May  not  the  divine  Spirit, 
before  the  love  of  God  is  implanted,  bring  the  mind 
to  a  better  frame  by  weakening  its  prejudices  against 
religion,  and  exciting  reflections,  desires,  and  reso- 
lutions which  come  nearer  to  a  holy  character? 
All  that  the  Spirit  does  before  Regeneration,  I 
suppose,  is  to  pour  light  upon  the  mind  ;  thus  a- 
wakening  remorse  of  conscience,  alarming  self-love, 
and  occasioning  various  and  strong  actings  of  this 
principle.  If  this  is  all  that  the  Spirit  does  before 
Regeneration,  the  question  has  been  already  answer- 
ed in  what  was  said  of  the  influence  of  light.  But 
whatever  the  Spirit  does  He  certainly  does  not  per- 
form impossibilities.  If  in  the  nature  of  things 
nothing  can  weaken  the  enmity  that  does  not  first 
dethrone  the  love  of  the  creature,  and  if  nothing 
can  dethrone  that  despot  but  the  love  of  God,  then 
no  operation  of  tlie  Spirit  which  does  not  introduce 
the  love  of  God,  can  weaken  the  empire  of  de- 
pravity. But  I  have  another  thing  to  say.  The 
feelings  of  the  convicted  are  holy,  or  sinful,  or 
neither.  If  neither,  they  have  no  moral  nature, 
that  is,  are  deserving  neither  of  praise  or  blame 
from  the  moral  Governour  of  the  world,  and  of 
course  have  nothing  to  do  with  our  subject.  If 
they  are  sinful,  what  approaches,  I  pray,  can  sin 


120  REGENERATION  [lECT.  V, 

make  to  holiness  P  to  the  lowest  degree  of  holiness  ? 
What  approaches  can  total  darkness  make  to  the 
lowest  degree  of  light  ?  or  total  deadness  to  the 
lowest  degree  of  life  ?  Will  you  say  then  that 
they  are  holy  P  What,  holy  without  love  to  God  ! 
without  a  particle  of  that  "  love"  which  "  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law/'  which  includes  the  whole 
that  the  law  requires  !  What  says  the  apostle  ? 
"  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of 
angels,  and  have  not  love,  I  am  hecome  as  sound- 
ing brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have 
the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries 
and  all  knowledge,  and  though  I  have  all  faith  so 
that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  have  no  love, 
I  am  nothing.  And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods 
to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be 
burned,  and  have  not  love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."* 
Will  you  say  then  that  the  convicted  sinner  has 
some  love  to  God  though  it  is  not  supreme  P  What, 
while  the  enmity  remains  ?  while  the  enmity  pre- 
vails f  for  prevail  it  must  while  he  loves  himself 
supremely, — prevail  it  must  therefore  till  his  su- 
preme affection  is  transferred  to  God.  Eut  once 
for  all  let  an  apostle  decide  whether  any  love 
to  God  can  exist  while  the  heart  is  supreme- 
ly attached  to  another :  "  If  any  man  love  the 
world  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him."f 
In  every  view  then  it  appears  that  there  can  be 
no  approaches  towards  Regeneration  in  the  ante- 
cedent temper  of  the  heart.      The  moment  before 

*  Rom.  siu.  10.    1  Cor.  xiii.  1—3.  f  1  John  ii.  15. 


LECT.    V.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  i2i 

the  change  the  sinner  is  as  far  from  sanctification 
as  darkness  is  from  light,  as  death  is  from  life,  as 
sin  is  from  holiness.  Admitting  that  his  passions 
are  somewhat  allayed,  and  the  actings  of  self- 
'ove  not  equally  violent,  (a  concession  by  no  means 
to  be  made,  certainly  not  in  every  case,  consider- 
ing the  strong  light  in  which  he  views  the  objects  of 
his  aversion  and  dread.)  still  the  least  action  of  en- 
mity (o  God  is  as  far  removed  from  the  lowest  degree 
of  holiness,  as  an  object  which  God  infinitely  hates > 
from  an  object  which  He  iniinitely  loves, — as  far  as 
a  thing  whicli  deserves  everlasting  shame  and  con- 
tempt,  front  a  grace  that  will  receive  endless  and 
inconceivable  rewards.  And  the  two  can  never 
be  brought  nearer  together. 

I  have  now  finished  one  train  of  reasoning  and 
will  enter  on  another.  I  prove  that  Regeneration 
is  instantaneous  from  the  established  truth  that 
mankind  by  nature  are  destitute  of  holiness.  Re- 
generation is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  com- 
mencement of  holiness  in  the  soul,- — the  increase 
of  that  principle  being  not  Regeneration  but  sancti- 
fication. If  the  soul  is  wholly  destitute  of  holi- 
ness there  must  be  a  moment  when  it  first  receives 
that  principle,  provided  the  principle  itself  is  speci- 
fically different  from  any  thing  preexisting  in  the 
mind,  and  is  not  a  compound  gradually  formed  out 
of  the  natural  affections.  Even  in  that  case  there 
would  be  a  moment  when  by  increase j  or  by  a  per- 
fect  process  of  combination,  it  would  first  become 

itled  to  the  name  of  holiness.     But  not  to  insist 


i%&  REGENERATION  [lECT.  V. 

on  that,  it  is  very  apparent  from  what  has  been 
said  of  the  nature  of  holiness,  that  however  multi- 
tudinous it  may  be  in  its  operations  and  effects,  it 
is  not  a  compound,  but  a  property  no  less  simple  in 
its  essence  than  universal  love,  and  that  it  is  as 
specifically  different  from  any  thing  preexisting  in 
the  mind,  as  parental  affection  is  from  humanity,  or 
the  love  of  science  from  the  love  of  food.  A  pro- 
perty so  simple  and  distinct  from  all  others,  may 
be  reasoned  upon  with  as  much  precision  as  any  of 
the  elementary  substances  of  the  chemist.  Now 
the  production  of  a  new. and  simple  property,  like 
the  power  of  attraction  first  communicated  to  a  re- 
pellent body,  must  be  instantaneous.  The  begin- 
mng  of  a  thing,  one  would  think,  cannot  be  pro- 
gressive. 

This  idea  may  be  further  illustrated  by  a  recur- 
rence to  some  of  the  images  under  which  this  change 
is  represented.  It  is  set  forth  by  the  figure  of  light 
struck  out  in  the  midst  of  total  darkness  :  "  God 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  It  is  called  the  opening  of  blind  eyes, 
and  the  unstopping  of  deaf  ears.  It  is  called  a 
resurrection  from  the  dead  :  "You  hath  He  quick- 
ened who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.-  It  is 
called  a  new  creation  :  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ 
lie  is  a  new  creature."  "  We  are  His  workman- 
ship created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works." 
"Put  on  the  new  man  which  after  God  is  created 


KJBCT.  V.1  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  4  23 

in  righteousness  and  true  holiness."  It  is  called 
the  removal  of  a  heart  of  stone  and  introduction  of 
a  heart  of  flesh.  It  is  called  a  new  birth.*  Now- 
all  these  figures  import  an  instantaneous  change. 
There  is  a  moment  when*  the  first  ray  of  light  en- 
ters a  region  of  total  darkness.  There  is  a  mo- 
ment when  the  blind  man  begins  to  see.  There 
is  a  moment  when  the  deaf  man  hears  the  first 
sound.  There  is  a  moment  when  life  begins  to 
animate  a  dead  body.  The  creation  of  a  simple, 
substance  must  be  instantaneous.  The  formation 
of  tiie  various  objects  that  were  to  compose  a 
world,  admitted  of  successive  acts  ;  and  to  this  is 
analogous  the  new  creation  of  the  whole  body  of 
the  elect  in  successive  generations :  but  when  a  sim- 
ple substance  was  to  lie  produced,  u  God  said,  Let 
there  be  light,  and  there  Was  light.  vf  The  remo- 
val of  a  heart  of  stone  and  substitution  of  a  heart 
of  flesh,  must  likewise  be  instantaneous,  or  accord- 
ing to  the  figure  there  is  a  time  when  either  there 
are  two  hearts  or  no  heart  at  all.  And  in  regard 
to  a  birth,  there  is  a  moment  in  every  case  in 
which  it  may  be  first  said,  a  child  is  born  into  the 
world. 

Regeneration  has  sometimes  been  compared  to 
the  struggle  of  light  with  darkness,  and  the  gradual 
prevalence  of  the  former,  at  the  dawn  of  day.  But 
what  do  they  mean  by  light  f    If  they  mean  hoti- 

*  Ps.  cxlvi.  8.  Isai.  xxix.  18.  and  xxxv.  5.  and  xlii.  16 — 19.  and  xliil. 
8.  Ezek.  xi.  19.  Luke  iv.  18.  John  iii.  3.  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  and  v.  1" 
Eph.  ii.  1, 10.  and.  iv.  24.      2  Pet,  i,  9.    Rev,  Uv  If.        f  Gen.  I  3. 


1S4  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V* 

ness,  they  assume  what  has  been  proved  to  be  false, 
that  there  is  holiness  in  the  heart  before  the  comple- 
tion of  Regeneration.  Show  me  a  man  in  whom 
holiness  and  sin  are  struggling  for  dominion,  and 
I  will  show  you  one  who  is  already  born  again. 
But  if  they  mean  any  thing  besides  holiness,  any 
thing  besides  the  identical  principle  whose  preva- 
lence is  to  constitute  the  change,  the  change  itself 
bears  no  resemblance  to  the  progress  of  the  morning, 
—the  progress  of  the  same  light  that  makes  the 
day.  It  might  more  fitly  be  compared  to  the  first 
ray  that  strikes  the  eastern  horizon,  or  rather  to  the 
first  ray  that  enters  a  region  of  total  darkness, 
And  between  the  last  moment  of  total  darkness,  and 
the  first  moment  of  commencing  light,  no  time  can 
elapse.  But  if  by  light  in  this  comparison  is  meant 
speculative  knowledge,  and  this  were  even  allow- 
ed to  be  the  cause  of  Regeneration,  still  the  change 
could  not  be  progressive,  if  any  thing  more  than 
ignorance,  if  moral  depravity  is  to  be  removed. 
No  matter  by  what  means  the  change  is  accomplish- 
ed, if  it  is  a  transition  from  supreme  selfishness  to 
the  supreme  love  of  God,  it  must  be  instantaneous 
according  to  the  reasonings  already  had. 

It  affords  much  support  to  these  reasonings  that 
the  Scriptures  divide  the  whole  human  race  into 
two  classes, — saints  and  sinners,  the  good  and  the 
bad,  believers  and  unbelievers,  natural  men  and 
spiritual  men,  those  who  are  in  Christ  and  those 
who  are  out,  they  who  are  still  under  condemna- 
tion and  they  who  are  justified,  the  heirs  of  heaven 


LECT.  V.]  NOT   PROGRESSIVE.  l£5 

and  the  heirs  of  hell.  There  is  not  a  thud  class. 
"  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me."*  It  fol- 
lows that  every  man,  at  every  moment  of  his  life, 
belongs  to  one  or  the  other  of  these  two  classes. 
Then  he  helongs  to  one  till  the  moment  he  enters 
the  other.  Were  it  otherwise  there  would  be  a 
time  in  which  he  is  neither  good  nor  had,  neither  in 
Christ  nor  out,  neither  condemned  nor  justified, 
neither  an  heir  of  heaven  nor  an  heir  of  hell. 
What  is  he  then  ?  To  whom  does  he  belong  ? 
Whither  would  he  go  should  he  die  ?  Is  there  a 
purgatory  ? 

I  might  add  to  these  reasonings  that  Regenera- 
tion is  represented  to  be  a  great  exhibition  of  pow- 
er,— as  great  as  the  resurrection  of  Christ:  "The 
eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened,  that 
ye  may  know — what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of 
His  power  to  us- ward  who  believe,  according  to  the- 
working  of  His  mighty  power  which  He  wrought 
in  Christ  when  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead,  and 
set  Him  at  His  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly 
places. ?,f  This  certainly  favours  the  idea  at  least 
of  a  sudden  change.  Divine  power  is  doubtless  as 
much  exerted  in  the  gradual  motion  of  the  heavenly 
bodies,  and  in  the  slow  process  of  vegetation,  as 
it  was  in  stopping  the  sun  over  Gibeon ;  but  when 
men  are  summoned  to  witness  a  great  exhibition  of 
power,  they  naturally  look  for  a  sudden  effect,  as 
the  burst  of  a  volcano,  or  the  sweep  of  a  whirlwind. 
But  if  instead  of  one  grand  effort  Regeneration  is 

•  Mat.  xii,  30.  f  Eph.  i.  18—20. 


i2&  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

brought  about  by  a  lingering  influence,  especially 
if  it  is  produced  by  the  slow  operation  of  reason 
and  knowledge,  it  is  no  more  an  exhibition  of  pow- 
er than  the  growth  of  a  plant,  or  the  alteration  of 
any  of  our  tastes. 

But  after  all  the  question  chiefly  turns  on  these 
two  points, — the  supreme  selfishness  or  total  de- 
pravity of  the  human  heart,  and  the  nature  of  holi- 
ness. No  one  who  admits  this  view  of  the  native 
character,  and  believes  that  holiness  is  a  simple 
principle,  not  a  compound  formed  out  of  preexist- 
ing properties,  can  doubt  that  there  is  a  moment 
when  it  is  first  introduced.  What  is  the  character 
of  the  natural  heart  ?  and  What  is  holiness  f  are 
the  two  questions  which  on  this  subject  must  divide 
the  world.  For  if  holiness  is  a  simple  principle, 
and  first  introduced  in  Regeneration,  especially  if  it 
is  a  principle  of  supreme  love  to  God,  following  su- 
preme selfishness,  nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that 
the  change  is  as  sudden  as  the  entrance  of  the  first 
drop  that  falls  into  a  vessel,  or  the  first  ray  that  pe- 
netrates a  dungeon. 

This  doctrine  however  does  not  militate  against 
the  idea  of  an  antecedent  preparation  in  the  con- 
science, wrought  by  the  means  of  grace,  and  the 
enlightening  influences  of  the  Spirit.  But  on  this 
subject  I  shall  have  occasion  to  treat  in  a  future 
Lecture.  At  present  I  shall  content  myself  with  two 
inferences  from  the  doctrine  already  established. 

(1.)  It  inevitably  follows  from  the  foregoing 
exposition  that  none  of  the  feelings,  or  actions,  or 


LECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  4&7 

duties,  (as  they  are  called,)  of  the  unregenerate, 
so  far  as  they  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  that  is, 
so  far  as  they  are  entitled  to  praise  or  hlame  from 
the  moral  Governour  of  the  world,  are  otherwise 
than  sinful.  They  are  sinful,  or  holy,  or  neither. 
If  neither,  they  receive  no  praise  or  blame  from  the 
moral  Governour.  For  whatever  may  be  said. of 
God  in  the  character  of  temporal  head  of  the  Jew- 
ish nation,  or  as  accommodating  in  these  days  His 
visible  dispensations  to  visible  characters,  yet  as 
moral  Governour  He  praises  nothing  but  holiness, 
or  real  conformity  to  His  law,  and  blames  nothing 
but  sin,  which  (*  is  the  transgression  of  the  law." 
For  to  govern  according  to  law  enters  into  all 
our  ideas  of  a  righteous  Governour.  That  some  of 
the  feelings  and  actions  of  the  unregenerate  are  of 
a  neutral  character  is  not  denied,  but  these  are  to 
be  set  aside  as  of  no  account.  The  rest  are  either 
sinful  or  holy.  But  they  are  not  holy,  for  the  be- 
ginning of  holiness  is  Regeneration  :  they  must 
of  course  be  sinful. 

It  is  a  credit  not  denied  to  the  unregenerate  that 
the  form  of  their  actions  is  often  right;  and  if  the 
form  by  itself  can  be  supposed  to  be  respected  in 
the  divine  law,  it  is  as  far  as  it  goes  real  obedience. 
But  is  the  form  so  divided  by  the  divine  law  from 
the  disposition,  that  standing  alone  it  constitutes 
any  part  of  obedience?  If  so  the  form  without  the 
disposition  must  constitute  some  part  of  transgres- 
sion ;  and  then,  in  the  eye  of  the  divine  law,  a  man 
in  part  commits  murder  who  kills  bis  neighbour  by 


*28  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V* 

accident,  or  in  a  paroxism  of  madness.  The  truth 
is  that  no  action  is  rewarded  or  punished  by  God 
or  man,  (unless  by  God  accommodating  His  visible 
dispensations  to  the  apprehensions  of  mankind,) 
otherwise  than  as  it  is  known  or  supposed  to  be  the 
index  of  the  heart.  Separate  from  murder  all  ideas 
of  malicious  intent,  and  it  is  no  longer  murder  in  the 
eyes  of  God  or  man.  Separate  from  prayer  all 
ideas  of  pious  feeling,  and  in  the  eyes  of  God  and 
man  it  is  no  longer  prayer.  No  law  human  or  di- 
vine ever  thought  of  forbidding  a  mad  man  to  kill 
his  neighbour  ;  (no  matter  for  what  reason.)  No 
law  human  or  divine  ever  thought  of  requiring  a 
mad  man  to  perform  deeds  of  charity.  It  is  then  a 
fact  that  no  law  ever  forbade  or  required  an  exter 
nal  action  but  as  an  expression  of  mind,  of  choice, 
of  disposition.  The  external  action,  in  its  naked 
form,  separate  from  the  choice  and  disposition,  is 
not  required,  and  the  action  thus  alone  is  no  part  of 
obedience,  no  part  of  holiness.  But  if  any  thing 
in  the  mind  is  necessary  to  impart  a  holy  character 
to  an  action,  it  must  be  holiness  in  the  mind. 
For  certainly  nothing  but  the  thing  itself  can  in- 
stamp  its  own  character.  Where  therefore  there 
is  no  holiness  in  the  heart,  there  can  be,  in  the 
view  of  Him  who  tries  the  reins,  no  holy  action. 

But  while  I  neglect  to  ascribe  holiness,  I  do  not 
mean  to  impute  sin,  to  the  bare  form  of  actions.  In 
strictness  of  speech  the  form  distinct  from  the  mind 
no  more  partakes  of  a  moral  nature  than  the  motions 
of  a  clock.     All  that  I  affirm  of  the  sinfulness  o£ 


I.ECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  129 

the  actions  of  the  nnregenerate  is,  that  so  far  as 
those  actions,  considered  in  both  the  outward  and  in- 
ward part,  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  they  are  sin- 
ful, and  that  whether  the  external  form  is  right  or 
wrong.  In  strictness  of  speech  the  sin  lies  not  in 
(he  outward  form  even  when  that  form  is  wrong, 
certainly  not  when  it  is  right.  Yet  in  the  popular 
language  of  Scripture,  as  in  the  common  language 
of  mankind,  the  form  and  disposition  are  both  com- 
prehended in  the  action.  Now  what  I  assert  is, 
that  the  action,  thus  complexly  considered,  takes  its 
moral  character,  not  from  the  form,  but  from  the 
disposition  ;  and  where  the  disposition  is  wrong, 
the  general  action  is  pronounced  sinful.  "  The 
Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth  ;  for  man  looketh  on 
the  outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on 
the  heart."  He  affectionately  approves  the  widow's 
mite,  while  He  rejects  the  man  who  without  evan- 
gelical love  bestows  all  his  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  then  with  a  martyr's  zeal  gives  his  body  to  be 
burned.  He  accepts  "  the  willing  mind"  even 
where  no  action  follows,  while  He  pronounces  the 
very  "sacrifice  of  the  wicked — an  abomination." 
While  "  a  cup  of  cold  water,"  administered  in 
love,  is  rewarded  with  eternal  life,  "  he  that  turneth 
away  his  ear  from  hearing  the  law,  even  his  prayer 
[is]  abomination  ;"  and  that  not  merely  when  he 
intends  to  mock  :  "  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is 
abomination,  hoiv  much  more  when  he  bringeth  it 
with  a  wicked  mind."  Nor  let  it  be  supposed  that 
his  sacrifices  are  singled  out  to  bear  this  reproach  : 
J7 


130  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

"  The  plowing  of  the  wicked  is  sin."  His  com- 
monest actions  are  an  offence  to  God,  because  they 
proceed  from  a  heart  "  deceitful  above  all  things  and 
desperately  wicked."  You  must  cleanse  the  foun- 
tain before  the  streams  can  be  sweet ;  you  must 
heal  the  tree  before  the  fruit  can  be  pleasant. 
"Make  the  tree  good  and  his  fruit  good." 
"  Cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup  and 
platter,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also." 
Hence  those  maxims  inscribed  on  the  tablet  of  ever- 
lasting truth,  "  They  that  are  in  the  flesh,  [in  their 
natural  state,]  cannot  please  God  ;"  and  "  With- 
out faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  Him."  With- 
out that  "faith"  which  "is  the  gift  of  God,"  that 
belief  that  "Jesus  is  the  Christ"  which  bespeaks 
one  "  born  of  God,"  no  action,  no  prayer  is  accept- 
ed. "  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom  let  him  ask  of 
God  ; — but  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wavering, 
for  he  that  wavereth  is  like  a  wave  of  the  sea  : — 
for  let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  receive  axy 
thing  of  the  Lord."  "  Ye  ask  and  receive  not, 
because  ye  ask  amiss,"  is  the  common  reproof 
administered  to  all  who  are  supremely  attached 
to  the  present  world.  "We  know  that  God  heareth 
not  sinners/"  was  a  profession  of  knowledge  made 
even  by  the  Jews.* 

The  case  is  not  altered   by    any  convictions 
which  may  be  excited  by  the  Spirit,  by  any  anxie- 

*  1  Sam.  xvi.  7.   Prov.  xv.  8-  and  xxi.  4,  37.  and  xxviii.  9.  Jer.  xvii.  9. 

Mat.  x.  42.  and  xii.  33.  and  xxiii.  26.      Mark  xii.  42 — 44.  John  ix.  31. 

Rom.  viii.  8.     1  Cor.  xiii.  1 — 3.     2  Cor.  viii.  12.    Eph.  ii.  8.  Keb.  xi.  6. 
James  i.  5 — 7.  'and  iv.  3.     1  Jobn  v.  1. 


LECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  131 

ties  of  the  sinner,  by  any  of  his  attentions  to  the 
means  of  grace.  If  Regeneration  is  the  commence- 
ment of  holiness,  all  the  feelings  and  actions  to  that, 
moment,  so  far  as  they  partake  of  a  moral  nature, 
must  be  sinful.  So  far  as  the  moral  Governour  is 
at  all  affected,  He  is  only  disgusted  and  offended 
till  the  very  moment  of  the  change. 

(2.)  It  follows  from  this  view  that  the  unre- 
generate,  even  under  their  highest  convictions,  and 
however  near  they  may  have  approached  to  the  time 
of  their  conversion,  still  lie  at  the  uncovenantetl 
mercy  of  God.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  no  pro- 
mises are  held  out  to  them  on  condition  of  their  re- 
turn ;  I  only  mean  that  nothing  which  they  now  do 
has  the  promise  of  any  reward  or  notice  from  God. 
The  moral  Governour  of  the  world  cannot  pledge 
Himself  to  reward  sinful  actions,  nor  actions  barely 
neutral.  A  temporal  king  may  consistently  engage 
to  recompense  actions  which  have  only  a  fair  exte- 
rior ;  but  for  God  to  do  this,  would  be  to  relinquish 
His  right  to  search  the  heart.  While  acting  as 
temporal  head  of  the  Jewish  nation,  (an  office,  how- 
ever, which  He  never  for  a  moment  stood  bound  by 
promise  to  appear  in,  but  occasionally  assumed  it  in 
sovereign  condescension  to  the  weaknesses  of  the 
people,)  He  visibly  rewarded  actions  which  were 
good  only  in  the  sight  of  men ;  (and  to  present  to  the 
eye  a  continued  picture  of  Himself  in  His  providence, 
He  does  the  same  now;)  but  He  never  promised  that 
nation  a  sheaf  of  bailey  nor  a  bin  of  oil,  but  on  con 
ditiou  of  sincere  and  holy  obedience,     The  follow- 


I3g  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

iug  passage  reveals  the  sole  condition,  (unless  you 
profanely  suppose  two  conditions,  like  the  two 
prices  of  the  petty  merchant,)  on  which  all  temporal 
blessings  were  promised  that  people  :  "  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  if  you  shall  hearken  diligently 
unto  my  commandments  which  1  command  you  this 
day,  to  love  the  lord  your  god,  and  to  serve 

Him  WITH  ALL  YOUR  HEART,  AND  WITH  ALL  YOUR 

soui,,  that  I  will  give  you  the  rain  of  your  land  in 
his  due  season,  the  first  rain  and  the  latter  rain,  that, 
thou  mayest  gather  in  thy  corn,  and  thy  wine,  and 
thine  oil."*  Indeed  the  duty  oflove  to  God  and  man 
made  so  conspicuous  a  figure  in  the Mosaick  code,) 
[hat  this  condition  was  necessarily  implied  in  all  the 
promises  suspended  on  general  obedience.^  The 
sum  of  that  code  was  this  :  "  And  now  Israel, 
what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  inquire  of  thee,  but  to 
fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  His  ways,  and 
io  love  Him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  tcitk 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul"  "Thou  shalt 
not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart, — but  thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. "|| 

There  is  another  insuperable  difficulty  in  the 
way  of  extending  the  promises  to  the  unregenerate ; 
they  are  not  united  to  Christ.  The  great  bond  of 
union  is  faith ■;  but  "  whosoever  believeth — is  horn 
of  God"  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new 
creature."     Now  it  is  obvious  that  none  can  partake 

*  Deut.  xi.  13—15.  f  Deut.vi.  5,  6.  and  vii.  9.  and  x.  16,  19. 

and  xi.  1,  13,  22.  and  xiii.  3.  and  xix.  9.  and  xxx.  2,  6,  16,  20.  Josh, 
xxii.  5.  and  xxiii.  11.  *  Deut.  vi.  and  xi.  and  xxviii.  and  xxx.  II  Lev. 
xix.  17,  18.    Deut.  x.  12. 


1..ECT.  Y.]  NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  133 

of  the  promises  but  they  who  are  united  to  Christ ; 
for  like  the  oil  on  Aaron's  head  that  descended  to 
the  skirts  of  his  garments,  the  promises  are  all  pour- 
ed upon  Christ,  and  descend  to  His  members  only. 
••'  To  Abraham  and  his  Seed  were  the  promises 
made  ;  He  saith  not,  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many,  but 
as  of  One,  and  to  thy  Seed,  which  is  Christ ;" 
"that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on  the 
Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  re- 
ceive the  'promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith ;'' 
u  that  the  Gentiles  should  be — partakers  of  His 
jiromise  in  Christ."  "  Jill  the  promises  of  God  in 
Him  are  yea,  and  in  Him  amen," — even  in  Him 
who  was  given  "  for  a  covenant  of  the  people. " 
"  The  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that 
the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  giv- 
en to  them  that  believe."*  How  then  can  any  pro- 
mise reach  those  who  are  out  of  Christ  ?  The  pro- 
mise chiefly  contended  for  is  one  that  is  supposed  to 
ensure  to  the  unregeneratc  an  answer  to  then*  prayers. 
But  if  such  prayers  are  answered,  it  must  be  with" 
out  the  influence  of  Christ :  of  course  they  might 
have  been  answered  if  Christ  had  never  died. 
Why  then  did  He  die  ?f  If  one  prayer  of  a  sinner 
could  ascend  to  God  without  going  through  Christ, 
a  whole  soul  might ;  and  if  one  soul  might,  a  whole 

*  Isai.  xlii.  6.  2  Cor.  i.  20.  and  v.  17.  Gal.  iii.  14,  16,  22.  Eph, 
iii.  6.     1  John  v.  1. 

f  But  the  unregenerate,  it  may  be  said,  do  receive  number- 
less blessings  on  Christ's  account,  that  is,  in  consequence  of  His 
having  undertaken  the  work  of  redemption.  Every  favour  which 
raises  them  above  the  condition  of  the  damned,  comes  to  them  in 
this   way.       Granted.      But  there  is  a  material  difference  between 


131*  REGENERATION  [LECT.  V. 

world  might.  If  in  one  act  a  sinner  is  accepted 
without  a  Saviour,  he  may  be  so  accepted  in  his  ge- 
neral character;  and  if  one  may,  a  whole  world  may. 
Why  then  was  a  Saviour  provided  ?  But  far  be 
such  a  thought  from  us.  Infinite  purity  cannot 
commune  with  pollution  in  a  single  instance,  nor 
look  upon  a  sinner  but  through  a  Mediator.  What 
mean  you  to  contend  for  the  privilege  of  going  to 
God  without  a  Mediator?  for  the  privilege  of 
rushing  into  a  consuming  lire  ?  for  the  privilege 
of  being  pagans  P  Presume  that  a  prayer  may 
reach  the  mercy  seat  without  going  through  Christ ! 
— if  this  is  not  self -righteousness,  expunge  the  word 
from  the  language.  Further,  a  promise  implies  a 
reward.  Now  if  the  unregenerate  are  rewarded, 
1  hey  are  rewarded  before  they  are  pardoned.  They 
receive  tokens  of  favour  while  they  remain  objects  of 

blessings  bestowed  in  sovereign  mercy,  (that  is,  without  any  covenant 
obligation,)  merely  to  put  them  in  possession  of  the  full  advantages 
of  probation,  and  containing  no  expression  of  approbation,  but  only  of 
patience,  and  blessings  conferred  as  a  reward,  a  promised  reward,  and 
expressive  of  the  approbation  of  God.  Though  in  sovereign  mercy 
God  may  deal  more  favourably  with  sinners  than  if  no  chance  existed  for 
their  salvation,  He  cannot  approve  of  ah  unholy  work  even  for  Christ's 
sake,  and  cannot,  in  His  secret  transactions  with  the  soul,  express  that 
approbation  by  a  reward.  For  Christ's  sake  He  may  accept  a  ho- 
ly action,  which  otherwise  could  not  be  accepted  from  a  sinner,  that 
is,  could  not  be  rewarded  with  any  token  of  favour ;  but  to  accept 
unholinesB  on  Christ's  account,  is  no  part  of  the  Gospel  plan.  It  is  no 
part  of  that  plan  to  accept  an  act  of  a  sinner  on  Christ's  account 
without  his  own  consent  that  Christ  should  be  the  ground  of  accep- 
tance) in  other  words,  without  his  own  faith.  If  then  the  prayers  of 
those  who  are  not  united  to  Christ  by  faith,  are  approved,  accepted,  an- 
swered, rewarded,  (for  all  these  terms  are  applicable  if  one  is,)  it  is  not 
done  on  Christ's  account.  If  such  prayers  reach  the  throne  of  God, 
they  do  not  ascend  through  a  Mediator. 


LECT.  V.]  NOT    PROGRESSnE.  135 

wrath.  And  for  what  are  they  rewarded  ?  Not  for 
the  merits  of  Christ,  (for  they  have  no  part  in  Him,) 
but  for  their  own  works, — works  too  which  if  not 
indifferent  are  positively  sinful.  This  is  "  confusion 
worse  confounded."  But  charge  not  this  confusion 
upon  the  Bible.  From  Genesis  to  Revelation  not 
a  promise  of  such  a  nature  is  found.  u  Ask  and  ye 
shall  receive/'  is  indeed  said  to  all ;  but  when 
you  would  know  the  meaning  of  that  condition, 
the  answer  is,  "Ask  in  faith,  nothing  waver- 
ing," It  is  said  indeed  that  "  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  suilereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it 
by  force  ;"  but  if  you  have  yet  to  learn  what  sort 
of  violence  is  meant,  even  an  Old  Testament  saint 
can  tell  you  :  "  My  son,  if  thou  wilt  receive  my 
words,  and  hide  my  commandments  with  thee,  so 
that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wisdom,  and  apply 
thine  heart  to  understanding ;  yea,  if  thou  wriest  af- 
ter* knowledge,  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  tinder- 
standing  ;  if  thou  seekest  her  as  silver,  and  search- 
est  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures  ;  then  shalt  thou 
understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  know- 
ledge of  God."  In  short  all  the  promises  address- 
ed to  the  unregenerate  are  summed  up  in  either  of 
the  following  texts  :  "  Ye  shall  seek  me  and  find 
me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  me  with  all  your 
heart."  "If — thou  shalt  seek  the  Lord  thy  God 
thou  shalt  find  Him,  if  thou  seek  Him  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul."* 

•  Deut.  iv.  29.     Prov,  ii.  1— 5.    Jer.xxix.  13.     Mat.  xi.  12.     John 
xvi,  24,    James  i.  6. 


LECTURE  VL 


REGENERATION  SUPERNATURAL. 
PSALM  CX.  3. 

TRF    PEOPLE   SHALL   BE   BILLING  IN  THE  DAY   01?    THY   POWER. 

This  promise  to  Christ  respecting  His  future 
kingdom  is  very  empliatick.  It  can  scarcely  be 
tortured  into  any  other  meaning  than  that  His 
power  should  be  effectually  exerted  to  render  His 
people  willing  to  submit  to  His  empire  ;  not  indi- 
rectly by  presenting  to  their  view  His  miracles  and 
the  destruction  of  His  enemies,  and  leaving  the 
event  to  the  casual  operation  of  their  self- determin- 
ing power;  but  by  a  conquest  of  their  wills  or 
hearts  through  the  efficacious  influence  of  His  Spirit. 

In  the  last  Lecture  it  was  proved  that  Regene- 
ration is  an  instantaneous  change,  from  exclusive 
attachment  to  the  creature,  from  supreme  selfish- 
ness, from  enmity  against  God,  to  universal  love 
which  fixes  the  heart  supremely  on  God ;  that 
there  is  no  previous  abatement  of  the  enmity  or  ap- 
proximation towards  a  right  temper,  the  heart  being 
at  one  moment  in  full  possession  of  its  native  self- 
ishness and  opposition,  at  the  next  moment  in  pos- 
18 


138  REGENERATION  £LECT'  VI« 

session  of  a  principle  of  supreme  love  to  God, — 
acquiring  thus  in  an  instant  a  temper  which  it  never 
possessed  before.  Here  is  a  phenomenon  wholly 
unlike  any  other  revolution  in  the  moral  or  social 
world.  How  is  it  to  be  accounted  for  ?  Is  it  pro- 
duced by  the  self-determining  power  of  the  human 
will,  or  by  the  power  of  God?  If  by  God,  is  it 
brought  about  according  to  the  stated  operations  of 
nature,  or  in  a  supernatural  way  ?  If  in  a  super- 
natural way,  is  it  done  on  account  of  any  thing  pre- 
viously performed  by  the  sinner,  or  in  any  sense 
by  his  cooperation  ?  These  three  questions  will 
form  the  plan  of  the  present  Lecture. 

I.  Is  this  change  produced  by  the  self-deter- 
mining power  of  the  human  will,  or  by  the  power 
of  God  ?  Not  by  the  self-determining  power  of  the 
will,  or  heart,  (both  are  included  in  the  term  as  here 
used.)  for  the  very  last  act  of  the  will  or  heart  before 
the  change  was  entirely  hostile  to  God,  and  the  first 
right  act  evinces  the  change  to  be  past.  The  will 
was  an  enemy  in  the  last  act  before  the  act  of  love. 
Hoes  then  the  foe  instantly  create  the  friend  ?  Hoes 
an  effort  of  enmity  instantly  produce  love  ?  When- 
ever did  darkness  create  light,  or  death  life  ?  Is  it 
credible  that  the  will,  while  fully  opposed  to  God, 
should  contrive  and  accomplish  so  holy  and  so  vast 
a  change  in  a  moment  ?  None  will  pretend  it.  No 
man  in  his  senses  ever  pleaded  for  the  self-determin- 
ing power  who  allowed  the  change  to  be  so  sudden 
and  so  great.  But  I  ask  again,  what  could  possibly 
have  induced  the  will  all  at  once  to  make  so  great 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  139 

and  new  an  effort  ?  Motives  ?  But  the  same  motives 
had  been  resisted  for  years,  and  were  firmly  resist- 
ed in  the  very  last  act  before  the  change.  Now 
that  the  will  should  steadily  resist  all  motives  from 
the  beginning,  and  all  at  once  yield  in  an  instant, 
without  any  new  inducement,  without  any  previous 
consent  of  its  own  ; — that  love  should  startup  out 
of  enmity  in  a  moment,  uncaused  but  by  itself,  is 
altogether  incredible,  and  never  was  and  never  will 
be  believed  by  any  rational  mind.  The  moment 
Regeneration  is  proved  to  be  an  instantaneous 
change  from  unabated  enmity  to  supreme  love,  the 
argument  for  the  self- determining  power  is  forever 
ruined. 

Nor  will  any  relief  be  found  by  seeking  an  ally 
for  the  will  in  the  understanding.  Universal  ex- 
perience proves  that  the  understanding  cannot  con- 
troul,  much  less  create,  the  affections.  If  it  could, 
every  man  would  be  sure  to  do  as  well  as  he  knows 
how.  If  it  could,  the  enmity  of  the  natural  heart 
■would  be  chargeable  only  to  ignorance,  and  then 
the  enmity  would  not  be  directed  against  the  true 
God,  but  against  a  false  image  of  God  which  it  is 
every  man's  duty  to  hate.  These  faculties  of  the 
mind  have  indeed  some  controul  over  each  other, 
but  by  no  means  enough  to  support  such  an  hypo- 
thesis. Their  empires  are  very  distinct,  and  divide 
a  man  as  it  were  against  himself.  In  its  turn  the 
understanding  will  not  submit  to  the  heart.  Who- 
ever set  himself  down  to  any  mental  effort,  for 
instance  to  write  a  composition,  without  feeling  tlio 


iVd  REGENERATION  [LECT.  VI. 

uncertainty  whether  his  intellect  would  obey  his 
wishes  ?  The  will  has  to  stand  and  solicit,  and  is 
often  held  in  suspense  whether  its  suit  will  be  fa- 
voured or  denied.  Hence  the  fancy  of  the  poets 
about  courting  the  Muses.  Could  the  heart  con- 
troul  the  understanding,  who  would  not  at  once 
make  himself  a  Newton  ?  And  it  is  only  an  equal 
law  of  nature  that  the  understanding  should  not  con- 
troul  the  heart,  If  it  could,  who  would  not  speedi- 
ly rid  himself  of  many  uncomfortable  passions  ?  If 
it  could,  which  of  you  would  not  become  a  Chris- 
tian at  once  ? 

The  theory  of  the  self-determining  power  being 
thus  set  aside,  those  systems  which  have  been  built 
upon  it  sink  of  course.  These  systems  may  all  be 
reduced  to  three  ;  the  Pelagian,  Arminian,  and  Se- 
mi-Arminian.  I  will  spend  a  moment  in  spreading 
these  out  by  the  side  of  the  Calvinistick  doctrine, 
that  you  may  distinctly  see  in  what  points  they  differ. 

The  Pelagian  theory  is,  that  God  does  no  more 
than  present  motives  to  the  mind  by  the  external 
light  of  truth :  to  these  the  will  in  the  exercise  of  its 
self-determining  power  yields  or  refuses  to  yield, 
and  the  good  man  alone  makes  himself  to  differ 
from  others  who  possess  equal  means  of  information. 
This  system  wholly  sets  aside  the  influences  of  the; 
divine  Spirit. 

The  Arminian  theory  is  precisely  the  same,  on- 
ly it  acknowledges  the  enlightening  influence  of  the 
Spirit  as  an  auxiliary  in  setting  motives  before  the 
mind.     To  these  motives  the  will  in  the  exercise 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  ill 

of  its  self-determining  power  yields  or  refuses  to 
yield,  and  the  good  man  alone  makes  himself  to 
differ  from  others  who  enjoy  common  grace. 

The  Semi-Avminian  theory  differs  from  the  lat- 
ter only  in  name,  and  in  a  greater  confusion  of  lan- 
guage. According  to  this  system  God  affords  a 
portion  of  spiritual  aid,  producing  something  more 
than  light,  and  something  less  than  holiness.  If  that 
aid  is  improved  He  will  afford  more,  and  so  on  till 
the  change  is  complete.  This  un definable  influence, 
between  an  enli^htenins:  and  a  sanctifyinir  one,  the 
mind,  though  utterly  destitute  of  "  true  holiness,"  i«f 
capable  of  improving  so  as  to  meet  with  divine  ap 
probation,  and  in  reward  to  receive  more ;  but  it  is 
capable,  by  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will 
which  that  influence  does  not  controul,  of  misim- 
proving  the  grace,  and  so  losing  the  effect.  God  re- 
ally does  more  for  one  than  another,  because  one  has 
better  improved  His  grace,  though  with  an  unhohj 
heart ;  but  He  would  do  as  much  for  one  as  ano- 
ther if  all  would  improve  alike.  The  real  differ- 
ence is  made,  not  by  discriminating  grace,  but  by 
one's  improving  divine  influence  better  than  ano-i 
ther,  through  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will 
which  that  influence  did  not  controul.  This  theory 
rests  its  weight  on  three  columns  5  the  self-deter- 
mining power,  progressive  Regeneration,  and  the 
dogma  that  God  approves  of  unholy  deeds ;  all 
which  I  persuade  myself  have  been  proved  to  bo 
but  shadows. 

Men  go  through  life  the  dupes  of  names.     I  bc£ 
10  know  what  can  be  meant  by  an  influence  which 


14£  REGENERATION  [lECT.  VI. 

produces  something  more  than  light,  and  something 
less  than  holiness  ?  Does  it  enlarge  the  understand- 
ing ?  Does  it  strengthen  the  memory  ?  And  if  it  did, 
what  then  ?  What  lias  an  enlargement  of  natural 
powers  to  do  with  a  change  of  heart  ?  Satan  in  na- 
tural powers  surpasses  any  saint  on  earth.  But  of  a 
moral  tendency  what  other  influence  can  there  he, 
than  that  which  informs  the  conscience  or  improves 
the  heart  ?  in  other  words,  than  that  which  enlight- 
ens or  sanctifies  P  Do  you  say  it  is  an  influence 
Which  would  lead  to  holiness  if  the  will  did  not  re- 
sist  P  But  what  other  can  that  be  than  an  enlight- 
ening influence  ?  Come  fix  a  micioscopick  eye  on 
this  single  point.  What  influence  can  you  conceive 
of  between  that  which  presents  motives  to  the  will, 
leaving  it  unconstrained,  and  that  which  bends  the 
will  by  constraining  power?*  Do  you  say  there  may 
be  a  pressure  of  power  which  the  will  resists  ?  But 
upon  your  principle  what  right  has  power  to  en- 
croach upon  the  freedom  of  the  will  by  undertaking 
to  compel  it  ?  If  I  have  no  right  to  bring  a  man  by 
force  to  the  house  of  Grod,  I  have  no  right  to  exert 
the  least  muscular  strength  upon  him,  or  to  assail 
him  in  any  other  way  than  by  motives.  But  who 
knows  that  such  a  pressure  is  made  if  no  effect  fol- 
lows? Who  can  be  conscious  of  a  divine  influence 
but  by  the  eiFect  ?  But  if  there  is  an  effect,  what  ef- 
fect ?  What  effect  pressing  in  the  direction  of  holi- 
ness ?     Do  you  say  there  is  thoughtfulness,  solem- 

*  For  an  explanation  and  vindication  of  such  expressions,  see  Note 
io  page  145. 


LECT.  VI. 3  SUPERNATURAL.  143 

nity,  and  distress  ?  Bat  these  are  only  natural 
effects  of  light  carried  home  to  the  conscience.  Do 
you  say  it  removes  prejudice  ?  But  how  except 
by  light,  since  it  leaves  the  heart  unaltered  ?  Bo 
you  say  it  restrains  from  passion  and  sin  ?  But 
how  except  by  motives,  (and  by  regulating  per- 
haps the  tone  of  the  body,  and  the  disposition  of 
outward  circumstances,)  if  the  heart  remains  the 
same?  This  intermediate  influence  then  must  be 
an  illusion  unless  it  is  something  which  makes  the 
heart  better  without  holiness.  But  it  has  appeared 
in  a  former  Lecture,  that  in  the  nature  of  things  the 
heart  cannot  be  made  better  till  it  is  supremely  fix- 
ed on  God.  I  ask  again,  what  aid  can  the  mind 
need  other  than  light,  when  the  self- determining 
power  is  fully  competent  to  settle  the  issue  ?  If  the 
will  cannot  determine  itself  to  good  without  other 
aid,  what  becomes  of  the  boasted  self-determin- 
ing power  ?  I  cannot  therefore  comprehend  what 
more  the  sinner  is  to  receive  for  improving  the 
grace.  More  what  ?  More  strength  ?  But  what 
do  you  mean  by  more  strength  ?  I)o  you  mean 
more  natural  powers  of  body  or  mind  ?  But  these 
are  not  needed  upon  any  plan,  certainly  not  upon 
yours,  for  the  will,  you  say,  is  fully  competent  to 
determine  itself.  Do  you  then  mean  more  moral 
strength  ?  But  moral  strength  is  holiness,  of  which 
the  sinner  possesses  none  till  Regeneration  is  com- 
plete. Do  you  mean  more  strength  of  resolution 
and  desire  ?  But  what  are  resolutions  and  desires 
that  make  the  heart  no  belter  ?     Do  you  mean  re~ 


144  REGENERATION  [lECT.  ?U 

solutions   and  desires    "which  gradually  improve 

the  heart  without  holiness?  But  this  again  is 
running  foul  of  the  doctrine  of  progressive  Regene- 
ration, which  has  heen  shown  to  he  a  dream.  You 
must  then  mean  more  light,  and  it  comes  to  this 
at  last,  that  all  which  has  been  received  is  au 
enlightening  influence,  that  all  which  is  to  be  re- 
ceived is  more  light,  and  still  more  light, — and  the 
self- determining  power  of  the  will,  influenced  only 
by  light,  is  to  change  the  heart :  and  this  carries 
you  back  to  downright  Arminianism,  from  which 
you  never  departed  but  in  name,  and  in  a  more  per- 
fect confusion  of  tongues.  Indeed  it  is  capable  of 
the  fullest  demonstration,  that  between  the  grossest 
Arminianism  and  the  correct  system  there  can  be 
no  medium.  And  then  this  ruinous  attempt  to  bol- 
ster up  the  self-righteousness  of  sinners  by  telling 
them  that  God  will  reward  their  unholy  deeds  ! 
Has  it  not  been  shown  that  all  the  feelings  and  ac- 
tions of  the  unregenerate,  so  far  as  they  partake  of 
a  moral  nature,  are  not  only  unholy  but  sinful  ? 
And  will  you  presume  to  tell  men  that  God  will  re- 
ward sin,  or  things  at  best  but  indifferent  ?  that  He 
will  lavish  rewards  on  men  who  are  out  of  Christ, 
and  still  lie  under  condemnation  ?  Do  it  if  you  wil^ 
but  you  must  answer  it  to  God. 

In  opposition  to  all  these  theories  the  Calvin- 
ist  tells  you,  that  the  heart  is  so  depraved  that  it 
will  not  improve  divine  influence  till  it  is  changed  ; 
that  it  stubbornly  resists  all  light  and  motives  till 
it  is  forced  to  submit ;   that  the  moral  Ruler  Ins 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  145 

as  much  occasion  to  subdue  the  heart  by  strength,  as 
an  earthly  king  to  quell  by  force  his  rebellious  sub- 
jects ;  and  that  the  simple  history  of  the  change  is, 
that  God  makes  His  people  witting  in  the  day  of 
His  power.*  And  if  the  change  is  instantaneous 
from  unahated  enmity  to  supreme  love,  the  Calvin- 
ist  must  be  right.  These  other  theories  are  founded 
on  the  principle  of  progressive  Regeneration,  (so 
far  as  they  recognise  any  such  change,)  and  on  that 
of  the  self-determining  power.  Prove  Regenera- 
tion to  be  instantaneous,  and  thus  dissolve  the  dream 
of  the  self-determining  power,  and  all  these  theories 
sink  at  once. 

But  to  whom  do  the  Scriptures  ascribe  the 
change  in  question?  The  answer  meets  you  on 
every  page.  "  The1  preparations  of  the  heart  in  man, 
and  the  answer  of  the  tongue  is  from  the  Lord.19 

*  When  the  author  speaks  of  the  will's  being  constrained  and  sub- 
dued, he  means  nothing  inconsistent  with  freedom.  He  means  merely 
that  a  rebellious  will  has  its  resistance  destroyed  by  the  power  of  Gcd.  But 
it  still  remains  a  will,  and  acts  as  such  ;  that  is,  the  mind  continues  to 
will,  in  other  words,  to  be  willing,  and  if  willing,  therefore  free.  The 
very  act  of  the  will  is  voluntariness  itself, — is  therefore  freedom  it- 
self :  and  the  question  whether  this  faculty  is  under  a  constraint  incon- 
sistent with  liberty,  is  to  the  author's  mind  as  unmeaning  as  the  ques- 
tion whether  freedom  is  free.  The  only  effect  of  what  in  popular 
language  he  calls  a  constraining  influence,  is  that  God's  people  are 
made  willing  in  the  day  of  His  power.  But  when  an  opposing  will, 
which  is  the  voluntary  action  of  the  man,  has  its  resistance  destroy- 
ed by  the  power  of  God, — when  the  spontaneous  and  wicked  opposi- 
tion of  the  soul  is  thus  annihilated  by  superior  strength,  it  is  calcu- 
lated to  give  a  just  idea  of  the  moral  agency  and  guilt  of  the  sinner  to 
i>ay,  that  the  will  is  subdued,  that  the  rebel  is  conquered.  And  if  this 
style  does  not  perfectly  accord  with  the  dialect  of  metaphysicians,  it 
is  no  less  to  its  praise  that  it  agrees  with  the  language  of  prophets  and 
-lies. 


146  REGENERATION  [lECT.  VI. 

P  Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from 
above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights." 
"  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that 
not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God"  "  Who 
then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers  by 
whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every 
man?  I  have  planted,  Apollos  watered,  but  God 
gave  the  increase.  So  then  neither  is  he  that 
planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  but 
God  that  giveth  the  increase."* 

II.  Is  this  change  brought  about  according  to 
(lie  stated  operations  of  nature,  or  in  a  supernatu- 
ral way  ? 

In  settling  this  question  every  thing  depends  on 
obtaining  precise  ideas  of  the  meaning  of  the  terms. 
What  then  is  meant  by  the  stated  operations  of 
nature  ?  Precisely  what  the  terms  obviously  ex- 
press, and  what  they  have  always  been  understood 
io  import;  viz.  the  stated  operations  of  divine  pow- 
er*, exerted  through  the  medium  of  second  causes, 
and  in  so  uniform  a  way  that  a  person,  having  a, 
comprehensive  view  of  all  the  laws  of  nature,  and 
of  the  second  causes  that  would  be  brought  to  act 
in  a  particular  case,  might  infallibly  calculate  the 
issue  unless  disappointed  by  a  supernatural  inter- 
position. 

This  stated  operation  extends  not  only  to  mat- 
ter but  mind,  and  of  course  to  man  as  composed  of 
both.  Could  you  perfectly  know  the  habitual  dis- 
position of  a  man,  what  would  be  the  state  of  his 

*  Prov.  xvi.  1.     1  Cor.  iii.  5—7.    Er;h.  ti.  3.    James  i.  If. 


T,ECT.  VI.]  SrPERNATURAr,.  11; 

body  and  outward  circumstances  at  a  given  time, 
and  all  the  motives  that  would  assail  him  ;  and 
were  you  sufficiently  skilled  in  the  laws  of  nature 
to  estimate  universally  and  with  precision  the  influ- 
ence of  second  causes  ;  you  might  infallihly  calcu- 
late how  he  would  feel  and  act  if  not  prevented  by 
a  supernatural  influence.  Even  with  our  limited 
knowledge  of  the  laws  of  nature,  we  can  form  in 
many  instances  very  correct  conjectures  respecting 
the  future  conduct  of  men.  A  skill  at  this  calcula- 
tion forms  much  of  the  ability  of  the  statesman,  and 
indeed  much  of  the  prudence  of  ordinary  life. 
From  the  laws  of  nature  you  may  calculate  with 
great  certainty,  that  men  in  given  circumstances  will 
exercise  feelings  zcJwlly  unlike  amy  which  they  now 
possess,  and  in  some  cases,  wholly  unlike  any  which 
they  ever  had ;  as  that  a  passionate  man,  whom 
you  now  see  placid  and  affectionate,  will  rage  when 
he  is  provoked  ;  as  that  a  covetous  man,  who  is 
now  melted  into  compassion  and  charity,  will  ex- 
ercise oppression  as  soon  as  a  fit  occasion  offers  ; 
as  that  a  youth,  when  he  becomes  a  parent,  will  ex- 
ercise parental  affection.  Now  can  you  form  any 
sach  calculation  respecting  the  future  conversion 
of  men  ?  or  could  you  if  you  were  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  laws  of  nature  ?  This  is  the 

QUESTION    TO    BE    TRIED. 

But  before  proceeding  to  examine  those  laws  of 
nature  on  which  this  effect  must  depend  if  it  is  a 
natural  effect,  let  us  be  fully  apprized  of  the  con 
sequences  which  must  result  from  adopting  such  a 
principle.      If  the  change  is  brought  about  by  di- 


148  REGENERATION  [LECT.  > ,. 

vine  power  working  through  the  medium  of  second 
causes,  in  a  stated  order,  according  to  the  establish- 
ed course  of  nature,  then  these  consequences  will 
follow  : 

First,  no  greater  or  other  exertion  of  power  is 
giade  at  the  time  of  producing  the  effect,  than  was 
made  in  the  antecedent  preparations  in  nature  to 
produce  it. 

Secondly,  no  greater  or  other  exertion  of  pow- 
er is  made  where  the  effect  follows,  than  where  it 
does  not,  the  whole  exertion  being  put  forth  to  sup- 
port the  attributes  of  the  natural  agents,  which  aro 
always  tjie  same  whether  combined  for  action  or 
not,  and  must  produce  the  effect  when  they  are 
combined  and  meet  with  no  special  resistance, 
Thus  no  greater  or  other  exertion  is  made  to 
produce  a  crop,  where  seed,  and  soil,  and  rain, 
and  heat,  and  air  combine,  and  find  no  special 
resistance,  than  to  support  the  same  agents  where, 
they  do  not  combine,  or  where  the  crop  is  pre- 
vented by  reptiles,  flood,  &re,  or  the  violence  of 
man. 

Thirdly,  where  all  the  natural  agents  combine, 
the  effect  cannot  be  prevented  without  a  supernatu- 
ral interposition. 

Fourthly,  where  natural  agents  enough  com- 
bine to  produce  the  effect  in  one  instance,  they  will 
produce  it  in  all,  unless  prevented  by  special  resist- 
ance. We  should  then  expect  that  the  same  out- 
ward means  that  can  convert  one,  would  convert  all, 
unless  some  invisible  cause,  such  as  peculiar  stub- 
bornness, or  special  temptation,  or  the  self-deta 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  149 

mining  power,  prevented.  But  persons  appa- 
rently the  most  stubborn,  and  most  exposed  to 
temptation,  often  become  Christians,  while  others, 
apparently  more  pliable  and  less  tempted,  re 
main  in  sin, — both  under  the  same  instruction. 
To  account  for  numberless  disproportions  of  this 
sort,  we  should  be  obliged,  so  far  as  we  can  dis- 
cover, to  resort  to  the  self-determining  power  of 
the  will. 

The  whole  drift  of  these  consequences  is  to 
deny  that  Regeneration  is  any  greater  or  other  ex- 
hibition of  divine  power  than  the  common  opera- 
tions of  nature.  But  how  does  this  comport  with 
those  texts  which  represent  the  change  as  preemi- 
nently the  work  of  God,  and  as  being  a  vast  exhi- 
bition of  power  ?  "  This  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I 
will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel :  After  those  days, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward 
parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  their 
God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people."'  "And  J  will 
give  them  one  heart  and  one  way,  that  they  may 
fear  me  forever.— /will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts 
that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me."  "  The  Lord 
thy  God  will  circumcise  thine  heart,  and  the  heart 
of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God."  "  I  will 
pour  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inha- 
bitants of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of 
supplications  ;  and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom 
they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn."  "  I 
thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
because  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent;  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes. 


ioO  KEG  L.N  Ell  ATI  ON  [lECT.  VI. 

Even  so,    Father,   for  so  it  seemed  good  in   thy 
sight."     "  Blessed  art  thou,   Simon  Bar-jona,  for 
flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but 
my  Father  which  is   in  heaven."     "  No  man  can 
come  to  me  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me 
draw  him. — No  man  can  come  unto  me  except  it 
were  given  unto  him  of  my  Father"     u  A  certain 
woman,  named  Lydia, — heard  us,  whose  heart  the 
Lord  opened."     "  For  God  who   commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,   hath  shined  in  our 
hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."     "  In 
whom  also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision 
made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the 
*ins  of  the  ilesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ ;  biu 
ried  with  Him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  you  are 
risen  with  Him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation 
of  God  who   hath   raised  Him  from  the   dead." 
**The  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlighten- 
ed,   that   ye  may  know — what  is   the  exceeding 
greatness  of  His  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  ac- 
cording to  the  working  of  His  mighty  power  which 
He  wrought  in  Christ  when  He  raised  Him  from 
the  dead,  and  set  Him  at  His  own  right  hand  in  the 
heavenly  places."     "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am 
what  I  am;"    " ministering  the  Gospel  of  God, 
that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles  might  be  ac- 
ceptable,   being   sanctified  by   the  Holy   Ghost:" 
"  Whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,   according  to 
the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  given  unto  me  by  the 
effectual  working  of  His  power. — Now  unto   Him 
xhat  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  151 

that  ice  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that 
worketh  in  us,  uuto  Him  be  glory  in  the  Church  by 
Jesus  Christ  throughout  all  ages,  world  without 
cud.     Amen."* 

Such  is  the  emphasis  every  where  laid,  uot  only 
on  the  agency,  but  on  the  mighty  power  of  God  in 
sanctifying  the  heart.  And  now  let  me  ask,  do 
these  representations  appear  as  though  He  was  the 
Author  of  holiness  in  no  higher  sense  than  He  is  the 
"Father"  of  "  the  rain/'  and  begetteth  "  the  drops 
of  the  dew"  ? 

But  this  question  must  be  brought  to  a  stricter 
test.  It  is  necessary  to  examine  those  laws  of  na- 
ture in  relation  to  mind  on  which  the  change  must 
depend  if  it  is  a  natural  effect.  If  this  part  of  the 
subject  should  be  less  intelligible  and  interesting, 
it  may  be  some  consolation  to  know  that  it  will  not 
be  long. 

There  are  but  two  ways  of  changing  the  mind 
of  man  by  second  causes ;  one  by  motives,  the 
other  by  mechanical  influence.  Every  influence  of 
a  second  cause  which  is  not  of  the  nature  of  a  mo- 
tive, may  properly  be  denominated  mechanical,  as 
its  action,  not  being  through  the  medium  of  the 
will,  is  much  like  that  of  one  material  substance 
upon  another.  Now  if  we  examine  the  effects  pro 
duced  on  mind  by  these  two  causes,  we  shall  come 
to  the  three  following  conclusions :  first,  that  motives 

*  Deut.  xxx.  6.     Jer.  xxxi.  33.  and  xxxii.  39,  40.     Zech.  xii.  10. 
Mat  xi.  25,  26.  and  xvi.  17.    John  vi.  44,  65.     Acts  xvi.  14.     Rom.  xv 
16.    ICor.  xv.  10.     2  Cor.  iv.  6.    Eph.  i.  18— 20.  and  Hi.  f,  20.    Coi: 
i*  11, 12. 


^38  REGENERATION  [lECT.  th 

have  no  influence  to  change  the  disposition  ;  se- 
condlv,  that  mechanical  causes,  which  alter  the 
disposition,  taste,  and  feelings  of  the  mind,  do  it 
by  a  gradual  process,  except  in  the  single  instance 
•where  the  change  depends  on  a  sudden  alteration 
in  the  state  of  the  body ;  thirdly,  that  of  course 
no  law  of  nature  can  produce  an  instantaneous 
change  of  heart. 

The  three  leading  laws  of  nature  in  relation  to 
mind,  which  have  any  connexion  with  our  subject, 
are  these  : 

First,  that  the  will,  the  immediate  cause  of  mus- 
cular motion,  is  governed  by  motives  addressed 
to  the  heart,  and  approved  by  the  heart.  As 
far  as  the  motive  agrees  with  the  temper  of  the 
heart,  that  is,  with  the  tastes  and  affections  of  the 
man,  and  no  further,  has  it  any  power  to  move 
the  will.  A  feast  is  no  motive  where  there  is  no 
appetite.  The  happiness  of  another  is  no  motive 
where  the  person  is  hated.  The  glory  of  God 
is  no  motive  to  an  opposing  heart.  The  power  of 
a  motive  to  influence  the  will,  always  presupposes 
a  disposition  in  the  heart  to  entertain  and  fall  in 
with  it. 

Secondly,  the  disposition  of  the  heart,  (whether 
you  mean  by  disposition  the  stated  manner  of  its 
acting,  or  the  foundation  of  its  exercises.)  is  never 
produced  by  motives  even  as  a  second  cause.  If 
by  the  disposition  of  the  heart  you  mean  the  stated 
manner  of  its  acting,  and  call  the  objects  towards 
which  it  acts  the  motives  of  its  aetion>  then  my  po- 
sition is,  that  the  objects,  (though  individually  the 


LECT.    VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  153 

occasion  of  each  particular  exercise,)  never  gave 
the  heart  the  habitual  turn  to  act  with  love  rather 
than  aversion  towards  ohjects  of  that  description. 
To  he  beloved  the  ohjects  must  individually  be  of 
a  class  which  the  heart  is  already  accustomed  to 
love,  or  is  commencing  the  custom  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  cause  wholly  distinct  from  the  objects. 
An  object  belonging  to  a  class  which  the  heart 
is  accustomed  to  hate,  will  not  excite  love,  till 
there  is  first  a  change  of  stated  action  which  the 
object  did  not  produce.  The  heart  must  have 
begun  a  course  of  action  favourable  to  objects  of 
a  particular  description,  before  you  can  calculate 
that  any  one  of  them  will  be  beloved.  When  one 
of  that  class,  standing  late  in  the  series,  is  pre- 
sented  to  the  mind,  and  meets  with  regard,  you  at 
once  perceive  that  that  individual  did  not  produce 
the  established  course.  Transfer  then  vour  thoughts 
to  the  first  object  in  the  series,  and  you  imme- 
diately discover  that  that  individual  had  no  more 
influence  to  settle  the  course.  You  instantly  re- 
sort to  an  anterior  cause.  That  cause  you  say  is 
God,  whose  influence  to  begin  the  course  was  prior 
in  the  order  of  nature  to  the  first  act  towards  the  first 
object.  The  objects  individually  occasion  action  of 
some  sort;  but  that  a  whole  class  are  statedly  loved 
by  one,  and  hated  by  another,  must  be  imputed  to 
a  cause  wholly  distinct  from  the  objects  themselves  : 
for  if  the  cause  lay  in  the  objects,  the  effect  would 
be  the  same  on  every  mind.  It  is  obvious  there- 
fore that  the  love  of  an  object  presupposes  a  course 
of  action  favourable  to  objects  of  that  class,  previ- 


134  REGENERATION  [LECT.  VI, 

ously  established,  or  then  commencing  under  the 
influence  of  a  cause  wholly  independent  of  the  ob- 
ject. In  other  words,  it  pre  supposes  a  stated  man- 
ner of  action* — a  disposition,  (as  yon  are  pleased 
to  call  it)  which  the  object  had  no  influence  to  pro- 
duce. What  is  presupposed  in  the  first  influence 
Which  the  object  exerts,  could  not  be  produced  by 
the  object  itself,  even  as  a  second  cause. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  mean  by  disposition 
a  taste  or  principle  that  is  the  foundation  of  exer- 
cises, then  it  is  still  more  evident  that  an  object  to 
be  beloved  must  be  adapted  to  the  existing  disposi- 
tion :  of  course  it  had  no  influence  to  produce  it.  If 
you  admit  the  existence  of  a  taste  or  principle,  and 
call  the  object  the  motive  which  moves  the  heart 
to  action,  you  will  readily  allow  that  the  object 
must  be  accommodated  to  the  taste  before  it  can  be- 
come a  motive,  that  is,  before  it  can  be  beloved.  It 
must  find  the  disposition  prepared  to  entertain  it 
before  it  can  move  the  heart.  A  hated  object  can 
never  be  a  motive  to  love ;  but  a  beloved  object 
finds  the  taste  already  in  its  favour.  The  power  of 
the  object  to  become  a  motive  presupposes  a  dis- 
position in  the  heart  to  love  it.  Of  course  it  did 
not  produce  that  disposition  even  as  a  second  cause. 
And  if  by  its  own  charms  it  cannot  create  the  dispo- 
sition, neither  can  it  by  associating  with  itself  the 
consideration  of  advantage.  The  heart  is  not  so  to 
be  bribed.  "  If  a  man  would  give  all  the  substance 
of  his  house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  be  contemn- 
ed."*    It  is  impossible  then  that  a  new  disposition 

*  Cant.  viii.  t. 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  135 

should  be  produced  in  a  natural,  (Inlay  add,  or 
even  in  a  supernatural)  way,  by  the  iufiuence  of 

motives.  Motives,  as  objects  of  love  or  aversion, 
occasion  the  heart  to  aet  according  to  its  existing 
disposition,  and  there  their  power  ends.* 

Thirdly,  thoueh  the  taste  and  feeliiurs  of  the 

«/  -  o  o 

heart  cannot  be  changed  by  motives,  they  do  under- 
go great  and  permanent  alterations  through  the  me- 
chanical influence  of  second  causes,  and  therefore  in 
a  natural  way  ;  but  these  changes  are  all  brought 
about  by  a  gradual  process,  except  in  the  single  in- 
stance where  they  depend  on  a  sudden  alteration  in 
the  state  of  the  body.  AVhere  the  body  is  suddenly 
and  permanently  thrown  into  a  new  state  by  deep  af- 
fliction or  disease,  the  man  may  instantly  and  final- 
ly lose,  for  example,  his  love  of  books,  his  love  of 
musick,  or  painting,  or  commercial  business,  or  a 
military  life.  In  all  other  instances  the  change  is 
slow  and  progressive.  How  many  new  tastes  or 
habits  of  feeling  are  gradually  contracted  by  en- 
largement of  views,  by  increasing  age,  by  new  con- 

•  To  some  who  cast  an  eye  on  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  it  did 
not  appear  self-evident  that  a  new  disposition  may  not  be  produced  by 
the  instrumentality  of  motives,  though  not  in  a  natural,  yet  in  a  su- 
pernatural way.  Hut  if  in  the  nature  of  things  a  motive  cannot  exert 
an  influence  on  the  mind  till  it  first  accords  with  the  disposition  ;  for 
instance,  if  a  feast  cannot  excite  a  desire  while  it  is  loathed  ;  it  can- 
not be  made  to  exert  such  an  influence  by  any  power  whatever.  For 
one  to  exercise  a  direct  desire  for  what  he  hates, — for  a  detested  ob- 
ject to  awaken  love,  or  by  all  the  considerations  associated  with  it  to 
produce  a  disposition  to  love  the  object  for  its  own  sake,  appears 
not  to  lie  within  the  reach  of  possibility.  Such  an  antecedent  as  the 
presentation  of  motives,  there  may  be  ;  but  it  is  a  mere  antecedents, 
without  any  of  the  influence  which  belongs  to  a  second  cause  or  hi- 
nt in  the  works  of  God,  whether  natural  or  supernatural, 


136  REGENERATION  [LECT,  VI, 

nexions,  by  a  change  of  employment,  by  the  influ- 
ence of  climate,  diet,  affliction,  and  various  other 
causes. 

According  to  these  laws,  then,  God  acts  in  a 
natural  way  when  He  causes  the  muscles  to  obey 
the  will,  the  will  to  obey  the  heart  by  yielding  to 
motives  which  the  heart  approves,  the  heart  to  act 
towards  different  objects  according  to  its  present 
disposition,  naturally  produced,  (whether  you  mean 
by  disposition  the  stated  manner  of  its  acting,  or 
something  which  is  the  foundation  of  its  exercises,) 
or  when  He  alters  the  disposition,  either  suddenly 
by  a  change  in  the  body,  or  progressively  by  the  me- 
chanical influence  of  other  natural  causes.  These 
I  call  natural  effects,  because  a  person  acquainted 
with  all  the  laws  of  nature,  knowing  perfectly  the 
present  disposition  of  another,  and  all  the  mecha- 
nical causes  that  would  conspire  to  alter  it,  (every 
thing  supernatural  being  withheld.)  having  a  com- 
plete view  of  the  state  of  that  person's  body  and 
outward  circumstances  at  a  given  time,  and  foresee- 
ing all  the  motives  that  would  be  addressed  to  his 
heart,  might  calculate  how  he  would  feel  and  act, 
we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  with  as  much  pre- 
cision as  we  can  calculate  an  eclipse. 

Now  to  apply  these  principles  to  the  case  of 
Regeneration.  It  will  not  be  pretended  that  this 
^reai  and  permanent  revolution  of  character  is  pro- 
duced by  a  sudden  alteration  in  the  state  of  the  body  ; 
and  as  it  is  instantaneous,  it  cannot  be  brought  about 
by  the  mechanical  influence  of  other  second  causes, 
not  therefore  by  light,  in  the  way  that  our  tastes  and 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL,  15? 

habits  of  feeling  are  gradually  changed  by  know* 
ledge.  Therefore  in  one  of  the  two  ways  in  which 
the  mind  is  changed  by  second  causes,  this  revolu- 
tion cannot  take  place.  It  must  then,  if  it  is  a  natu- 
ral effect,  be  brought  about  by  motives.  But  motives, 
we  have  seen,  have  no  influence  to  produce  a  new  dis- 
position in  either  sense  of  the  word,  least  of  all  to  pro- 
duce that  heavenly  temper  which  is  wrought  in  Re- 
generation. Though  the  Word  of  God  in  the  shape 
of  motives  has  an  important  instrumentality  in  carry- 
ing on  the  preparatory  work  in  the  conscience,  and 
in  occasioning  the  exercises  of  the  new  heart,  it  is  in 
no  sense  instrumental  in  changing  the  disposition. 
The  motives  must  find  the  disposition  already  pre- 
pared to  favour  them  before  they  can  act  upon  the 
mind.  The  holiness  and  justice  of  God,  for  instance, 
are  no  motives  to  love  while  they  are  hated.  The 
amiableness  of  religion  is  no  motive  while  it  does 
not  appear  amiable  to  the  mind.  The  mercy  of 
God,  and  the  rewards  of  religion,  with  ail  the  hopes 
they  inspire,  and  all  the  claims  to  gratitude  they 
bring,  and  I  may  add,  the  terrors  of  the  law,  find 
nothing  of  a  moral  nature  to  address  in  such  a  hear! 
but  the  mere  principle  of  selfishness  :  but  consider- 
ations addressed  to  selfishness,  or  which  find  no- 
thing else  in  the  heart  to  appeal  to,  can  never  weak- 
en the  dominion  of  self-love.  The  reasonable- 
ness  of  religion,  and  the  criminality  of  sin,  may 
press  the  conscience;  but  they  will  press  mil- 
lions of  consciences  to  eternity  without  proving 
motives  to  love.  If  conscience  can  controul  the 
heart,  the  heart  is  not  depraved.     If  the  heart  h 


158  REGENERATION  [LECT.  VI. 

ready  to  love  God  as  soon  as  it  sees  its  obligations, 
it  is  well  disposed.  If  all  that  is  to  be  removed  is 
ignorance,  its  sin  is  only  a  misfortune.  If  the  enmity 
is  a  mere  prejudice  which  light  can  remove,  it 
opposes  nothing  but  a  false  image  of  God,  and  is 
commendable.  But  if  the  carnal  mind  is  hostile  to 
the  true  God,  it  will  hate  Him  the  more  the  more  He 
is  seen,  and  light,  (as  at  the  Last  Day,)  will  only 
rouse  the  enmity  to  stronger  action.  To  use  light  then 
as  an  instrument  to  cure  the  disposition,  is  like  using 
oil  to  extinguish  tire.  But  it  is  enough  to  ask,  how 
can  the  motives  of  religion  be  the  instruments  of 
producing  a  new  disposition,  when  that  disposition 
must  exist  before  the  motives  can  take  hold  of  the 
heart  ?  Or  the  question  may  be  decided  by  facts. 
Have  not  all  these  motives  assailed  the  heart  for 
many  years,  without  taking  away  a  particle  of  its 
opposition?  For  months  together  have  they  not 
been  set  home  upon  the  conscience,  without  at  all 
weakening  the  enmity  ?  How  comes  it  to  pass  then, 
that  at  length  in  one  moment  they  enter  the  heart  and 
rise  to  supreme  dominion  ?  Have  they  all  at  once 
broken  their  way  through,  and  assisted  in  new-mo- 
delling a  heart  on  which  till  that  moment  they  could 
have  no  influence  ?  The  decisive  question  is,  Was 
the  power  applied  to  the  motives  to  open  a  passage 
for  themselves,  or  to  the  heart  to  open  a  passage  for 
them?  Let  the  event  declare, — the  heart  was  new 
before  the  motives  entered. 

As  then  the  change  in  question  is  effected 
neither  by  mechanical  causes,  nor  by  the  influ- 
ence of  motives,  it  is  not  brought  about  by  any 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  159 

of  the  laws  of  nature,  and  of  course  is  super- 
natural. 

An  effect  may  be  supernatural  which  is  pro- 
duced by  a  second  cause  above  nature,  for  in- 
stance, an  angel ;  but  the  one  under  consider- 
ation is  not  only  supernatural  but  immediate.  Or 
if  not  altogether  immediate  because  there  was  such 
an  antecedent  as  the  presentation  of  motives,  yet 
immediate  in  the  sense  in  which  those  effects  were 
which  followed  the  extension  of  Moses'  rod,  the 
blast  of  trumpets  before  the  walls  of  Jericho,  the 
voice  of  Ezekiel  in  the  valley  of  bones,  and  the  ap- 
plication of  clay  (o  the  eyes  of  the  blind  man.  In 
all  these  cases  the  antecedent  had  no  such  influence 
as  belongs  to  a  second  cause  in  nature,  for  instance, 
to  fire  as  the  agent  in  consuming  a  building  ;  but 
every  body  sees  that  the  power  was  as  immediately 
exerted  as  though  no  antecedent  had  existed,  lu 
the  same  sense  the  power  which  changes  the 
heart  is  immediate,  acting  through  no  second 
cause,  producing  its  effect  by  no  instrument:  and 
if  immediate,  then  certainly  supernatural ;  and  I 
may  add,  special,  as  distinguished  from  the  common 
efforts  of  nature. 

To  sum  up  all  in  a  word,  there  is  no  stated  ope- 
ration of  divine  power  from  which  we  can  infer, 
or  could  if  we  knew  all  the  laws  of  nature,  that  a 
convicted  sinner,  in  any  state  in  which  he  can  be 
before  Regeneration,  will  the  next  moment  be  the 
subject  of  this  change  ;  or  indeed  that  a  man  pla- 
ced in  any  situation,  or  assailed  by  any  means,  will 
ever  become  a  real  Christian.     In  other  words, 


160  REGENERATION  [LECT.  VI. 

there  is  no  operation  of  God  upon  a  second  cause 
which  is  an  invariable  antecedent  to  this  effect. 
"  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou 
nearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence 
it  comcth,  and  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every  man 
that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."* 

This  doctrine  is  confirmed  by  the  Word  of  God 
in  representations  as  strong  as  any  language  can 
furnish.  The  change  is  there  expressed  by  a  va- 
riety of  names  borrowed  from  the  most  stupendous 
operations  of  supernatural  power.  It  is  called  a 
new  creation ;  "  We  are  His  workmanship  cre- 
ated in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  "  There- 
fore if  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature" 
"  The  new  man  which  after  God  is  created  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness."  If  the  first  creation 
established  the  laws  of  nature,  the  new  creation, 
according  to  analogy,  should  establish  another  se- 
ries of  operations,  regular  indeed,  but  above  nature. 
And  this  appears  to  be  the  fact.  Further,  the 
change  is  called  a  resurrection  from  the  dead: 
a  You  hath  He  quickened  who  were  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins. — God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
His  great  love  wherewith  He  loved  us  even  when 
we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together 
with  Christ."  "  As  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead- 
mid  quickeneth  them,  even  so  the  Sou  quicken  eth 
whom  He  will. — The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is, 
when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  The  vision  of  Eze- 
kiel  is  to  the  same  purpose.     The  change  is  also 

*  John  Hi.  8. 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  K 

called  by  names  taken  from  the  supernatural  ope 
rations  of  our  Saviour  upon  the  bodies  of  men.  suet 
as  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  unstopping  the 
ears  of  the  deaf:  "1  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in 
righteousness, — to  open  the  blind  eyes."  "  And 
in  that  day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words  of  the  book, 
and  the  eves  of  the  blind  shall  see  out  of  obscuri- 
tj  and  out  of  darkness."  It  is  called  the  removal 
of  the  old  heart  and  the  production  of  a  new  one  : 
-  A  new  heart — will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spi- 
rit will  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the 
stony  heart  out  of  yonr  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you 
a  heart  of  flesh."  It  is  called  a  new  birth  :  u  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God."*  The  first  birth  is  according  to  nature  \ 
but  I  am  disposed  to  inquire  with  the  wondering 
Nicodemus,  by  what  natural  process  a  man  can  be 
born  when  he  is  old.  Indeed  all  these  figures,  if 
you  would  save  them  from  the  charge  of  the  most  un- 
accountable extravagance,  denote  a  change  above 
nature.  How  strangely  inflated  would  it  seem 
to  call  any  of  the  natural  alterations  which  daily 
take  place  in  our  feelings  and  conduct,  a  new 
creation,  a  new  birth,  or  a  resurrection  from  the 
dead  ! 

But  though  the  effect  is  supernatural  I  do  not 
call  it  miraculous,  this  term  being  appropriated  to 
events  more  obvious  to  the  senses,  and  intended  to 

*  Isai.  xxix.  18.  and  xlii.  6,  7.  Ezek.  xi.  19.  and  xxxvi.  26,  27. 
and  xxxvii.  1—10.  John  ill.  3,  5.  and  v.  21,  25.  2  Cor.  v.  17,  Eph. 
"''.},  4,  5,  10.  and  iv.  24.    Col.  ii.  X 3. 

SI 


16.3  REGENERATION  [lECT.  VI. 

furnish  visible  and  tangible  proof  of  the  truth  of  re- 
ligion. This  is  the  fair  definition  of  a  miracle  ; 
and  to  apply  the  name  to  such  an  invisible,  unob- 
trusive effect,  can  have  no  other  tendency  than  to 
discredit  the  doctrine  of  a  supernatural  change. 

III.  Is  this  change  wrought  on  account  of  any 
thing  previously  done  by  the  sinner,  or  in  any  sense 
by  his  cooperation  ? 

This  question  is  soon  disposed  of.     It  has  been 
proved  that  till  the  moment  of  the  change  the  sin- 
ner is  in  a  state  of  complete  rebellion  against  God, 
and  except  things  indifferent  does  nothing  but  sin. 
But  does  the  moral  Governour  of  the  world  reward 
actions   which  are  sinful  or  indifferent?    I  have 
proved  that  He  does   not.     And  what  proof  can 
you    set    in    opposition    to   this?     None    derived 
from  His  promises,  for  it  has  been  shown  that 
none  of  the  promises  respect  the  actions  of  the  un- 
regenerate.     And  if  no  promise,  then  no  explicit 
encouragement ;  for  with  every  being  of  truth  and 
honour  such  an  encouragement  would  amount  to  a 
promise.     You  cannot  then  find  the  proof  in  His 
Word.     And  to  argue  from  His  providence  is  alto- 
gether fallacious.      "  No  man  knoweth  cither  love 
or  hatred  by  all  that  is  before  them.     All  things 
come  alike  to  all ;  there  is  one  event  to  the  righteous 
and  to  the  wicked."*     You  do  not  then  find  the 
proof  in  His  providence,  nor  yet  in  His  Word. 
Where  then  do  you  find  it?  Indeed  for  a  man,  icith- 
out  any  other  dependance  on  Christ  than  the  un~ 

*  Eccl.  ix.  1,  2. 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  163 

regenerate  feel,  to  expect  to  obtain  a  new  heart 
from  God  by  any  thing  which  he  can  say  or  do, 
is  the  very  definition  of  self-righteousness. 

Nor  does  the  sinner  cooperate  in  producing  this 
change,  unless  unabated  enmity  is  cooperation.  In 
the  conversion  which  follows  he  is  indeed  active  ; 
but  in  effecting  the  change  itself,  he  cooperates  in 
no  other  sense  than  the  rebel  who  is  subdued  by 
force  of  arms  assists  his  prince  in  vanquishing  him- 
self. His  conscience  is  indeed  on  the  side  of  (rod, 
and  so  are  the  consciences  of  devils.  His  loishes  ap- 
pear to  lean  the  same  way,  but  it  is  from  selfish  con- 
siderations. His  body  so  far  cooperates  as  to  bring 
him  to  the  temple  and  altar.  But  his  heart,  whieh 
in  the  sight  of  God  is  the  ichole  man,  struggles  a- 
gainst  the  Spirit  till  the  change  is  complete.  Till 
the  whole  cause  has  exerted  itself,  the  whole 
strength  of  the  moral  affections  is  opposed  to  holi- 
ness. 

INFERENCES. 

(1.)  Wherever  this  supernatural  power  is  ex- 
erted the  effect  will  surely  follow.  What  should 
hinder?  The  opposition  of  the  heart?  But  the  very 
thing  which  the  power  has  to  do  is  to  annihilate  that 
opposition,  and  make  the  subject  "  willing."  If  it 
does  not  this  it  does  nothing,  it  has  not  the  least 
influence,  it  is  no  power.  If  God  attempts  to  sanc- 
tify the  heart  and  does  not  succeed,  one  thing  is 
certain;  creatures  can  never  know  that  the  attempt 


164?  REGENERATION  [LBCT.  VI, 

was  made  unless  He  informs  them.  They  cannot 
ifeel  His  handr  they  only  feel  the  effect.  But  God  is 
not  likely  to  disclose  a  secret  so  discreditable  to  Hi« 
power.  Do  you  say  His  power  is  limited  hj  a  re- 
gard for  the  liberty  of  His  subjects  ?  Then  I  pro- 
pose this  dilemma  :  either  He  can  make  his  peo- 
ple "  willing"  without  destroying  their  freedom., 
or  He  cannot :  if  He  can,  why  should  the  attempt 
ever  fail?  if  He  cannot,  His  success  is  never  certain, 
and  He  must  ask  leave  of  the  self- determining  pow- 
er of  the  will  to  have  a  Church  :  how  then  could 
He  promise  His  Son  a  seed  to  serve  Him  ?  But 
it  is  not  so.  He  can  make  His  people  u  willing" 
and  yet  leave  them  free.  If  they  are  u  willing'7 
are  they  not  free  ?  What  is  freedom  but  a  powei* 
to  do  as  they  please  P  In  no  act  are  they  made  to 
act  against  their  will.  Their  willingness,  though 
produced  by  God,  is  as  much  their  own  willingness 
as  though  they  had  produced  it  themselves.  Will 
you  say  that  the  infant  does  not  himself  fee  because 
he  did  not  produce  his  own  life  ?  or  that  he  does 
not  himself  see  because  he  did  not  create  his  own 
eyes?  or  that  a  man  is  not  himself  willing,  and  there- 
lore  free,  because  he  was  made  willing  in  the  day 
of  God's  power  ?  What  then  should  hinder  God 
from  making  His  people  willing  in  every  instance 
in  which  He  undertakes?  In  other  words,  what 
should  hinder  Him  from  destroying  all  resistance? 
and  making  the  soul  a  willing  captive,  in  every  cas& 
where  He  attempts  to  produce  this  identical  effect  ? 
This  is  the  only  thing  that  He  ever  attempts  to  ac- 


LECT.  VI.]  SUPERNATURAL.  165 

coinplish  when  lie  exerts  His  sanctifying  influence. 
If  this  is  not  done  nothing  is  done  ;  if  this  is  not 
attempted  nothing  is  attempted ;  for  between  ma- 
king His  people  willing,  and  not  making  them  wil- 
ling, there  is  no  spot  at  which  His  sanctifying  pow- 
er can  stop,  no  point  at  which  it  can  aim.  In  all 
cases  then  where  this  influence  is  exerted,  the  effect 
will  certainly  follow.*  Of  course  wherever  this 
effect  does  not  follow,  the  influence  is  not  exerted, 
Therefore, 

(2.)  God  exerts  this  influence  upon  some  and 
not  upon  others  ;  and  that  not  because  the  favoured 
ones  have  better  improved  His  grace,  not  because 
they  have  done  any  thing  to  aid  or  induce  Him, 
but  because  He  "  will  have  mercy  on  whom"  He 
"  will  have  mercy. "  "  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that 
willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that 
showeth  mercy. — Therefore  hath  He  mercy  on 
whom  He  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  He  will  He 
hardeneth.  Thou  wilt  say  then  unto  me,  Why  dotli 
He  yet  find  fault  ?  for  who  hath  resisted  His  will  ? 
Nay  but  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God  ?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  Him  that  form- 
ed it,  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?  Hath  not  the 
potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to 
make  one  vessel  unto  honour,  and  another  unto  dis- 
honour ?"  "  What  saith  the  answer  of  God  ?  I  have 
reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men  who  have 
not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal.     Even  so  then  at  this 

*  Yet  the  influence  is  not  properly  called  irresistible,  for  it  merely 
prevents  resistance. 


106  REGENERATION,  &C.  [LECT.  VI. 

present  time  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the 
election  of  grace.  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no 
more  of  works;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace. 
But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace ; 
otherwise  work  is  no  more  work.  What  then? 
Israel  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for, 
but  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were 
blinded."  "  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  hea- 
ven and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them 
unto  babes.  Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good 
in  thy  sight."  "  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from 
another  ?  and  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not 
receive  ?  Now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost 
thou  "lory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  P"*  Does 
the  Armiuian  hear  this  ?  Do  a  gainsaying  world 
bear  this  ?  Let  every  mouth  be  stopped,  and  the 
whole  world  prostrate  and  speechless  before  God. 
Amen. 


*  Mat.  xi.  25,  26.    Rom.  ix.  15—21.  and  xi.  4—7.    1  Cor.  iy.  f. 


LECTURE  VII. 


MEANS  OF  GRACE. 


ISAIAH  LV.  11. 

SO  SHALL  Mr  WORD  BE  THAT  GOETH  FORTH  OUT  OF  MY  MOUTH  ;  IT  SHALL 
NOT  RETURN  UNTO  ME  VOID,  BUT  IT  SHALL  ACCOMPLISH  THAT  WHICH 
I  PLEASE,  AND    IT   SHALL  PROSPER  IX  THE  THING  WHERETO  I  SENT  IT. 

In  former  Lectures  it  lias  appeared  that  du- 
ring all  the  convictions  and  exertions  of  the  unre- 
generate,  they  experience  no  diminution  of  depra- 
vity, no  approximation  towards  holiness,  no  feel- 
ings which  are  otherwise  than  sinful  or  indifferent ; 
that  none  of  their  actions  in  the  sight  of  God  are 
good,  none  of  their  prayers  answered  ;  that  no  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  is  exerted  upon  their  minds  fur- 
ther than  to  enlighten  them  and  leave  truth  to 
work  its  natural  effect ;  and  that  Regeneration, 
viewed  distinct  from  the  convictions  which  go  be- 
fore and  the  exercises  which  follow,  is  wrought  by 
immediate  power  without  an  instrument. 

It  might  he  expected  that  something  should  be 
said,  in  this  part  of  the  Course,  about  the  Means  of 
Grace  ;    aud  for  this  purpose  I  have  chosen  a  text 


168  MEANS  OF  GRACE.       [lECT.  VII. 

which  will  lead  me  to  speak  of  the  Word  of  God:  for 
excepting  two  things  in  the  exertions  of  Christians 
which  I  shall  presently  mention,  all  the  Means  of 
Grace  consist  in  the  truths  of  the  Word,  and  the 
various  ivays  of  conveying  them  to  the  mind.  What 
are  Bibles,  sermons,  and  sacraments,  but  instru- 
ments to  carry  truth  to  the  understanding  and  heart? 
What  are  all  the  expostulations  of  others,  but  ef- 
forts to  press  the  motives  contained  in  truth  upon 
the  sensibilities  of  the  soul  ?  What  are  the  passion 5 
which  ministers  address,  but  channels  through 
which  truth  is  carried  to  the  quick,  or  instruments 
to  rouse  the  soul  to  view  it  with  sharpened  atten- 
tion ?  What  does  providence  more  than  illus- 
trate and  enforce  revealed  truth  ?  Sabbaths  are  not 
means  of  grace,  so  much  as  opportunities  to  attend 
on  ordinances  and  exercises  that  are.  All  the  ex- 
ertions of  men  for  their  own  salvation,  (except  mere 
motions  of  the  body,  and  two  things  in  the  efforts  of 
Christians  before  alluded  to,)  may  be  summed  up 
in  the  single  word  attention, — attention  to  truth, 
and  to  the  ordinances  which  convey  truth  to  the 
mind.  If  the  attention  is  set  to  watch  their  own 
corruptions,  it  is  only  to  see  the  illustrations  of  a 
revealed  truth.  If  they  strive  to  regulate  their  pas- 
sions, the  only  effort,  besides  shunning  motives 
which  excite  the  passions,  in  other  words,  avoiding 
temptation, — the  only  effort  made  upon  the  mind, 
is  to  fix  its  eye  steadily  on  motives,  drawn,  if  the 
motives  are  right,  from  the  Word  of  God.  Every 
other  exertion  to  subdue  the  passions  or  improve' 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GKACE.  169 

the  temper,  (as  any  one  may  perceive  by  a  close 
attention  to  the  actings  of  his  own  mind.)  is  made 
upon  the  body,  and  spends  its  strength  upon  the 
nervous  system.  And  what  is  meditation,  other 
titan  a  fixed  attcntion'to  truth  ?  Prayer  too,  besides 
the  efficacy  of  asking  in  faith,  and  the  mere  exer- 
cise of  pious  feelings,  is  only  the  highest  degree 
of  attention.  I  say,  besides  the  efficacy  of  asking 
in  faith,  and  the  mere  exercise  of  jnous  feelings  ; 
these  are  the  two  things  in  the  exertions  of  Chris- 
tians, before  alluded  to,  which  are  not  included  in 
attention  :  and  these  arc  the  only  two  things  com- 
prehended in  the  Means  of  Grace  which  are  not 
resolvable  into  truth  and  the  means  of  getting  truth 
before  the  mind.  The  prayer  of  faith  certainly 
obtains  divine  influences  for  ourselves  and  others  ; 
and  there  are  appointed  ways  of  improving  our 
graces  by  exercise,-  (for  instance,  in  thanksgiving 
and  praise,)  much  in  the  same  way  as  you  im- 
prove soldiers  by  exercise,  or  confirm  any  of  your 
habits  by  indulgence.  Yet  even  in  these  two  cases, 
so  far  as  the  affections  are  improved,  it  is  done 
through  the  instrumentality  of  truth.  The  sanc- 
tified affections  which  follow  the  prayer  of  faith, 
(or  ''looking''  to  Christ,)  follow  from  transforming 
views  of  Him ;  and  the  exercizes  by  which  the 
heart  is  improved,  owe  their  effect  to  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  truths  contemplated. 

To  these  remarks  I  may  add,  that  the  divine 
Spirit,  except  in  Bis  sanctifying  influence,  does  no 
wore  than  carry  in  the  truth  and  lay  it  before  the 
%% 


170  MEANS  OF  GRACE.      [LECT.  Tit. 

eye  of  the  mpid,  and  apply  it  to  that  individual  con- 
science. For  it  has  been  proved  that  there  is  no 
influence  between  an  enlightening  and  a  sanctifying 
one, — between  that  which  addresses  motives  to  an 
old  disposition  and  that  which  creates  or  strength- 
ens a  new  one.  And  even  in  His  sanctifying  in- 
fluence, so  far  as  the  affections  are  concerned,  the 
effect  is  wrought  by  the  instrumentality  of  truth. 

Dropping  then  from  our  calculation  the  efficacy 
of  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  the  appointed  ways  of 
improving  our  graces  by  exercise,  (so  far  as  these 
are  exceptions  ;) — laying  out  of  view  also  the  mo- 
tions of  the  body,  and  the  sanctifying  influence  of 
the  Spirit ;  and  all  that  is  contained  in  means  or 
efforts,  human  or  divine,  for  the  salvation  of  our- 
selves or  others,  is  comprehended  in  truth,  and  the 
various  ways  of  presenting  truth  to  the  mind.  Abso- 
lutely the  whole  as  relates  to  the  unregenerate,  (ex- 
cept mere  bodily  motions,)  is  contained  in  these  two 
things.  This  class  offer  no  prayer  of  faith,  they 
partake  of  no  sanctifying  influence,  they  have  no 
graces  to  improve  by  exercise  ;  and  as  their  hearts 
cannot  be  made  better  till  they  are  made  new,  no- 
thing can  be  done  for  them  but  to  carry  to  their 
minds  a  deep  conviction  of  truth. 

Now  all  the  truth  ever  intended  for  the  salva- 
tion of  men  is  contained  in  the  Word  of  God.  No- 
thing new  is  revealed  by  the  Spirit.  The  exhibi- 
tions in  creation  and  providence  only  confirm  and 
illustrate  Bible  truths.  The  Word  may  be  regard- 
ed as  the  epitome  of  all  the  manifestations  of  Goc\ 


I,ECT»  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  171 

io  man.  With  the  exceptions  then  already  made, 
every  question  relating  to  the  Means  of  Grace,  and 
to  efforts,  human  or  divine,  for  the  salvation  of  men, 
may  he  reduced  to  these  two  :  What  is  the  use  of 
the  Word  of  God  ?  and  how  is  it  conveyed  to  the 
mind  ?  In  attempting  to  illustrate  these  two  points^ 
I  shall  treat, 

I.  Of  the  use  of  the  Word  generally; 

II.  Of  its  use  to  the  unregenerate  in  particular  ^ 

III.  Of  the  means  and  influences  hy  which  it 
is  conveyed  to  their  minds; 

IV.  Of  its  success  in  accomplishing,  as  the 
text  suggests,  every  end  which  God  designed. 

I.     Of  the  use  of  the  Word  generally. 

It  has  always  heen  the  received  opinion 
that  the  Word  of  God  is  the  grand  instrument 
of  converting  the  world ;  and  this  opinion  is  con- 
firmed hy  the  testimony  of  facts.  It  is  a  matter 
of  fact,  that  where  the  Gospel  is  preached  statedly 
and  faithfully,  more  are  converted  than  where  it  is 
seldom  or  loosely  preached.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact, 
that  when  God  intends  to  bring  men  to  salvation; 
(the  only  salvation  revealed,  J  He  first  places  them 
under  the  sound  of  the  Gospel,  leads  them  to  at- 
tend on  the  means  of  instruction,  awakens  their 
attention  to  the  truths  of  His  Word,  causes  them 
ordinarily  to  he  pressed  hy  the  importunities  of 
others,  increases  by  these  means  their  conviction  of 
truth,  and  after  all  this  changes  their  hearts.  It  h 
a  matter  of  fact,  that  as  Christians  grow  in  know- 
ledge  they  grow  in  grace }  that  as  a  realiziug  rawf 


17£  MJBANS    OE    GRACE.  [lect.  VII. 

of  truth  increases,  their  holy  affections  increase. 
If  in  all  these  previous  steps  you  can  see  nothing 
but  an  arbitrary  series  of  antecedents,  like  the  rod 
of  Moses,  or  the  voice  of  Ezekiel  over  the  val- 
ley of  hones,  still  they  are  not  to  be  regarded  as 
unimportant. 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  we  can  see  no 
instrumentality  in  truth  to  create,  or  increase,  or 
continue  the  new  disposition.  In  the  regulation  of 
that  power  truth  has  none  of  the  influence  of  a 
second  cause,— no  more  influence  than  EzekieFs 
voice  had  to  raise  the  dead.  It  may  then  be 
asked,  Why  should  a  second  cause  intervene 
which  has  no  influence?  If  divine  power  produces 
the  whole  effect,  why  couple  itself  with  a  power- 
less cause ?  Why  not  act  alone  without  that  idle 
attendant  ?  These  questions  would  be  unanswera- 
ble if  there  w  as  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  create, 
and  continue,  and  increase  the  new  disposition  :  but 
there  are  views,  and  affections,  and  acts  of  the 
will,  and  motions  of  the  body,  to  be  produced,  or 
the  disposition  is  altogether  useless.  In  the  produc- 
tion of  all  these,  both  in  their  beginning  and  in 
all  the  degrees  of  their  increase,  truth,  where  it 
finds  the  disposition  favourable,  has  the  proper  in- 
fluence of  a  second  cause  or  instrument.  Every 
consideration  which  is  apprehended  by  the  under- 
standing or  felt  by  the  heart,  every  object  of  holy 
affection,  every  motive  which  controuls  the  will 
mud  impel f  to  action,  is  found  in  truth  alone.  This 
I  the  essential  and  immediate  instrument  by  which 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  1/3 

all  right  views  and  feelings,  all  correct  ads  of 
choice  and  virtuous  conduct,  are  produced,  and  by 
which  a  rational  kingdom  is  moved  and  governed. 
If  God  is  to  preside  over  a  rational  kingdom.  He 
must  move  it  altogether  by  the  instrumentality  of 
motives.  To  act  without  motives,  is  to  be  a  mad- 
man or  a  machine.  To  love  or  hate  without  an  ob- 
ject, is  a  contradiction  in  terms.  Should  God's  re- 
newing influence  pass  over  a  mind  wholly  destitute 
of  knowledge,  nothing  would  be  felt,  no  affections 
would  be  excited,  nothing  sensible  would  follow. 
Although  therefore  truth  cannot  create  or  continue 
ihe  disposition,  nor  efficiently  cause  even  the  affec* 
lions,  there  is  good  reason  why  the  power  which 
produces  these  effects  should  always  accompany 
the  truth,  and  (the  case  of  infants  and  heathens 
being  out  of  question,)  should  never  act  with- 
out it.  Why  should  divine  power  produce  a  dis- 
position to  feel  where  no  feelings  can  follow  ? 
or  incline  the  heart  to  love  where  no  object  is 
found  ? 

There  are  good  reasons  also  why  truth  should 
come  to  men  through  the  medium  of  language,  and 
in  the  form  of  a  written  Word,  It  might  have 
been  communicated  immediately,  as  it  was  to  the 
first  created  angel  and  to  inspired  men  ;  but  in  the 
display  of  truth,  both  in  heaven  and  earth,  God 
has  principally  made  use  of  second  causes,  as  being 
better  calculated  to  furnish  the  evidence  which  is 
adapted  to  the  government  of  rational  creatures. 
The  whole  system  of  matter  is  a  system  of  second 


174  MEANS  OF  GRACE.      [LECT.  VIL 

causes,  forming  a  visible  chain  leading  into  the  se^ 
crecy  of  the  First  Cause,  and  betraying  an  agency 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  forever  conceal-" 
£d.  So  necessary  have  those  tangible  links  been 
deemed,  that  even  in  cases  Where  God  lias  exerted 
His  power  miraculously  and  immediately,  He  lias 
generally  made  use  of  visible  antecedents  to  con- 
nect the  effect  more  evidently  with  His  own  power  : 
as  in  the  case  of  Moses'  rod,  the  trumpets  at  Jeri- 
cho, the  pitchers  and  lamps  of  Gideon's  army,  the 
washing  of  Naaman  in  Jordan,  the  extension  of 
Elisha's  body  over  the  Shunammite's  son,  the  salt 
cast  into  the  fountain,  the  clay  applied  to  the  eyes 
of  the  blind  man,  and  many  other  instances  which 
might  be  mentioned.  So  instead  of  conveying  truth 
to  mankind  by  immediate  revelation,  accompanied 
"with  silent  efforts  of  sanctifying  power,  He  has  cho- 
sen to  send  it  to  them  in  the  languages  of  men,  in  the 
shape  of  a  written  Word,  and  to  form  a  visible 
chain  of  prophets,  apostles,  ministers,  and  ordi- 
nances ;  not  only  because  this  mode  was  better 
adapted  on  many  other  accounts  to  the  purposes  of 
a  moral  government,  but  that  He  might  manifest 
more  distinctly  the  source  of  the  power  which  con- 
verts the  world*  Thus  the  word  with  which  our 
Saviour  composed  the  winds,  and  healed  the  sick, 
discovered  whence  the  power  proceeded,  more  than 
if  He  had  done  the  same  by  a  silent  influence.  If 
then  the  whole  body  of  truth  by  which  the  heart, 
the  will,  and  the  life  are  to  be  influenced,  is  con- 
veyed  only  through  a  written  Word,  and  by  the 


X.ECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  175 

ordinances  instituted  to  impress  that  Word  on  the 
mind,  there  can,  in  an  ordinary  way,  he  no  holine  , 
no  salvation,  without  an  attendance  on  the  Means 
of  Grace. 

Now  the  word  of  God  may  he  considered  as 
acting  on  the  mind  at  three  different  stages;  viz, 
before  Regeneration,  at  the  time  of  conversion,  and 
in  the  progress  of  sanctiiication.  By  attending  to 
its  effects  at  these  several  stages  we  shall  discover, 
that  though  the  difference  between  a  sinner  the 
moment  before  and  the  moment  after  Regeneration 
is  produced  by  immediate  power,  yet  the  differ- 
ence between  a  convicted  sinner  and  an  estab- 
lished Christian,  much  more  between  a  heathen 
and  an  established  Christian,  is  in  a  great  measure 
brought  about  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  Word, 
"  How — shall  they  call  on  Him  in  whom  they 
have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in 
Him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  and  how  shall 
they  hear  without  a  preacher  ? — So  then  faith  com* 
eth  by  hearing,  and  healing  by  the  Word  of 
God"* 

The  use  of  the  Word  before  Regeneration  I 
shall  consider  under  the  second  head.  Let  us  now 
examine  its  influence  at  the  time  of  conversion,  and 
in  the  progress  of  sanctiiication. 

At  the  time  of  conversion  the  truths  of  the  Word 
are  the  instruments  of  producing  all  the  thoughts 
which  fill  the  understanding,  all  the  motions  of 
■he  heart,    the  will,  and  the  body  ;   and   are   tbua 

*  I?om.  x.  14,  XT. 


1/0  ME  ASS    OF    GRACE.  j_LECT.  VII, 

the  instruments  of  producing  the  whole  of  that 
turning  which  the  term  imports.  A  manifestation 
of  God  to  the  soul  is  as  much  the  instrument  of 
producing  love  to  God,  as  light  is  the  instrument  of 
vision.  A  manifestation  of  sin  is  equally  the  in- 
strument of  producing  repentance  ;  and  a  mani- 
festation of  Christ,  as  much  the  instrument  of  pro- 
ducing faith  :  for  without  the  presentation  of  the 
objects  the  affections  could  not  exist.  Hence  by  a 
very  significant  figure  the  Word  of  God  is  called 
i(  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,"  and  is  said  to  be 
"  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two 
edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asun- 
der of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  mar- 
row.''* If  your  heart  is  pierced  with  a  sword, 
you  feel  not  the  hand  which  wields  it,  but  the 
sword  onlv.  So  in  conversion  the  soul  feels  not 
the  Spirit,  but  only  the  truths  of  the  Word.  There 
is  however  this  difference  in  the  two  cases ;  in  one 
instance  the  power  is  applied  to  Hit  heart  to  open 
a  passage  for  the  Word,  in  the  other  it  is  applied 
to  the  sicord  to  open  a  passage  for  itself.  But  in 
both  cases  the  instrument  alone  is  felt.  A  pene- 
trating sense  of  truth,  together  with  those  affections, 
determinations,  and  actions  which  follow  in  view 
of  truth,  comprehends  the  whole  effect  of  He., 
generation.  Regeneration  is  the  formation  of  the 
eye,  but  light  is  necessary  for  actual  vision.  That 
conversion  is  thus  brought  about  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  the   Word,   is   expressly   asserted ; 

*  Eph.  vi.  17.    Ucb.  Lv.  12.    Rev.  i.  16.  and  ii,  12, 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  177 

';  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the 
soul."  On  the  same  principle  they  who  preach 
the  Word  are  said  to  convert  men  :  "  If  any  of 
you  do  err  from  the  truth,  and  one  convert  him, 
let  him  know  that  lie  which  converted  a  sinner 
from  th^  errour  of  his  way,  shall  save  a  soul  from 
ikath."* 

Hitherto  I  have;  made  a  distinction  between 
Regeneration  and  conversion  ;f  but  it  must  he  allow- 
ed that  the  former  is  sometimes  taken  in  so  broad 
a  sense  as  to  include  both ;  and  then  the  general 
Change,  bearing  the  name  of  Regeneration,  is  said 
to  be  brought  about  by  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Word.  u  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us  with  the, 
Word  of  truth."  u  Being  horn  again,  not  of  corrup- 
tible seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  Word  of 
God"  "  For  in  Jesus  Christ  I  have  begotten  you 
through  the  Gospel."  The  same  idea  is  conveyed 
in  other  forms  of  speech  :  "  Is  not  my  Word  as  a 
lire, —  and  like  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in 
pieces?"  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
are  spirit  and  they  are  life.r?J  As  a  new  living 
man  is  a  man  with  new  feelings  and  actions,  so  by 
a  new  heart,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  that  phrase,  is 
meant  a  heart  with  new  affections.  When  men  are 
commanded  to  make  to  themselves  new  hearts,  to 

*  Vs.  xix.  7.    James  v.  19,  20. 
j  The  same  distinction  was  generally  made  by  the  old  Calvinisticfc 
divines.  By  Regeneration  they  meant  the  implantation  of  a  new  principle 
•or  disposition,  to  serve  as  the  foundation  of  new  exercises ;  by  conversion, 
the  actual  turning  to  God  in  the  exercises  which  followed. 

Ter.  xxiii.  29.  John  vi,  63.    1  Cor.  iv.  15.   James  i.  18.    1  Pet.  i.  22, 
23 


iyS  ME  ASS    Ol     GttACE.  [_LECT.  Vila 

circumcise  and  purify  their  hearts,*  nothing  more 
nor  less  is  meant  than  that  they  should  exercise 
new  affections.  Regeneration  or  the  production  of 
a  new  heart,  understood  in  this  sense,  is  certainly 
accomplished  hy  the  instrumentality  of  the  Word. 
By  the  same  instrumentality  are  produced  all 
the  new  affections,  volitions,  and  actions  of  the 
Christian  in  the  progress  of  sanctification.  Though 
the  new  disposition,  as  distinct  from  the  affections, 
is  both  continued  and  increased  by  immediate  pow- 
er, yet  that  power  is  exerted  in  so  stated  a  way 
that  the  improvement  of  the  disposition  keeps  pace 
with  the  growing  strength  of  the  affections,  and 
the  affections  themselves  are  increased  by  the  in- 
strumentality of  increasing  knowledge.  As  truth 
becomes  more  clearly  understood,  the  heart  acts 
more  vigorously  towards  it.  Thus  while  in  the 
"  glass"  of  the  Word  we  behold  "  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,"  we  "  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from 
glory  to  glory,"  j— much  in  the  same  way  as  men 
are  improved  by  example.  Hence  a  very  distinct 
emphasis  is  laid  upon  the  Word  as  the  instrument 
of  sanctification.  "  Christ — loved  the  Church,  and 
gave  Himself  for  it,  that  He  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  Word."1 
"Now  ye  are  clean  through  the  Word  which  I  have 
spoken  unto  you."  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy 
truth,  thy  Word  is  truth."  '•  Ye  received  it  not  as 
the  word  of  men,  but  (as  it  is  in  truth,)  the  Word 

•  Deut.  x.  16.    Jer.  iv.  4.     Ezek.  xviii.  SI.    James  iv.  8. 
t  2  Cor.  ft,  18.  with  1  Cor.  xiu.  12. 


LKCT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  i?$ 

of  God,  which  effectually  icorkeih  also  in  you  that 
believe."  Hence  the  dispensation  of  the  Word  is 
compared  to  planting  and  watering  seed  in  the 
earth,  and  they  who  preach  it  are  called  fellow  la. 
bourers  with  God  :  "  I  have  planted,  Apollos  Wa- 
tered, but  God  gave  the  increase. — We  are  labour- 
ers together  with  God  :  ye  are  God's  husbandry. "* 
II.  I  am  to  consider  the  use  of  the  Word  to  the 
unregenerate.  How  the  truth  is  instrumental  after 
the  new  disposition  is  implanted,  is  now  apparent. 
But  it  may  be  asked,  what  is  the  use  of  communi- 
cating knowledge  before,  when  it  can  excite  no  ho- 
ly affections,  especially  as  it  is  not  expected  to  have 
any  influence  in  altering  the  disposition  ?  Why  is 
the  sinner  commanded,  entreated,  and  even  convict- 
ed, when  it  is  known  that  none  of  the  considerations 
suggested  will  move  his  heart  ?  Why  not  reserve 
the  motives  till  the  disposition  is  renewed  ?  In 
other  Words,  why  pour  truth  upon  the  mind  before 
the  heart  is  disposed  to  embrace  it  ?  In  reply  to 
this  I  observe,  that  even  in  cases  where  it  is  fore- 
seen that  the  sinner  will  resist  the  light  and  perish, 
this  experiment  will  illustrate  his  hardness  and  inex- 
cusableness,  and  display  the  condescension  and  mer- 
cy of  God.  The  truths  exhibited  are  only  an  appeal 
of  One  who  requires  a  reasonable  service,  to  the  reft- 
son  and  conscience  of  a  moral  agent,  who  in  the 
service  required  must  be  guided  by  light,  and  must 
exert  understanding,   will,   and  affections  towards 

*  John  xv.  3.  and  xvli.  17    \  Coy.  iii.  6,  9.    Eph.  v.  25,  26.   1  Thus. 
K.13. 


l&O  MEANS  OF  GRACE.     [oECT.  VI J. 

the  identical  objects  which  the  truths  present.     It 
is  the  moral  Governour  bringing  forward  His  just 
claims,  disclosing  the  obligations  of  the  sinner,  and 
offering  him  life  on  condition  of  his  doing  what  no- 
thing but  his  obstinacy  prevents.     This  proceeding 
will  convince  the  universe  that  He  was  the  con- 
sistent, righteous  moral  Governour,  and  the  merci- 
ful Father ;    and  that  the  sinner's  opposition  was; 
most  unreasonable,  and  his  ruin  self-induced.   This 
pubiick  display  of  character  is  all  the  end  that  can 
be  answered  where  Regeneration  does  iiot  follow  ; 
and  this  end  will  be  answered  where  it  does  follow. 
But  in  the  latter  case  a  further  purpose  is  accom- 
plished by  the  antecedent  knowledge.      A  clear 
discernment  of  truth  before  Regeneration  prepares 
the  sinner  for  greater  humility,  love,  and  gratitude., 
and   for   more   full    acknowledgments   to  Christ, 
through   all  his   future   existence.      Even  in  the 
process  of  sunctiji-catiow,  it  is  God's  usual  method 
by   discoveries   of  truth   to  prepare  the  way  for 
stronger  exercises  of  repentance  and  gratitude,  be- 
fore He  excites  these  affections.     The  only  differ- 
ence is,  in  the  present  instance  He  prepares  the 
way  before  He  gives  the  new  disposition.     But  in 
both  cases  the  same  reason  exists  why  conviction 
of  truth  should  precede  the  affections.     The  diffi- 
culty which  has  been  raised  about  His  commanding, 
urging,  and  entreating  sinners  to  act  before  He  dis- 
poses them,  will  vanish  when  the  nature  and  sources, 
of  the  necessary  antecedent  knowledge  are  consi- 
dered,    "What  sinners  want  is  a  just  view  of  their 


I.ECT.  VII.]  MKANS    OF   GRACE,  i&i 

sin,  and  ruin,  ami  need  of  a  Saviour,  drawn,  as  it 
necessarily  must  be,  from  a  discovery  of  God,  His 
law,  and  the  claims  which  the  moral  Ghoveraour  has 
upon  them.  These  claims,  it  is  to  be  remember- 
ed, are  not  weakened  by  their  dependance  on 
Him  for  holiness,  that  is,  by  their  incorrigible 
indisposition  to  obey  ;  for  if  their  indisposition  im- 
paired His  claims,  they  never  could  reasonably  be 
required  to  resist  their  inclinations,  nor  arraigned 
for  following  them ;  and  then  all  moral  government 
would  be  at  an  end.  Acting  as  moral  Governour, 
and  treating  with  moral  agents,  He  makes  there- 
fore no  account  of  Himself  as  the  main-spring  of 
motion*  but  addresses  them,  whatever  be  their  cha- 
racter, as  distinct  and  complete  agents,  and  holds 
the  same  language  with  them  that  one  man  would 
hold  with  another  whom  he  wished  to  reclaim. 
There  is  no  correct  display,  nor  even  exercise,  of  a 
moral  government  upon  any  other  principle.  Such 
then  are  the  claims  of  Use  moral  Governour.  Now 
if  the  foundation  of  all  just  ideas  of  guilt  lies  in  a 
right  understanding  of  these  claims,  it  is  necessary 
for  the  conviction  of  sinners  that  their  relation  to 
the  moral  Governour  should  be  laid  open  ;  and  this 
can  be  done  only  by  Ilis  coming  out  with  the  full 
assertion  of  all  His  authority  and  rights.  In  order 
to  throw  Himself  upon  the  view  of  any  individual, 
He  must  come  to  him  with  all  His  demands,  and 
without  making  any  allowance  for  indisposition  and 
dependance,  must  reason  and  expostulate  with  him 
as  man  with  man.     The  moment  that  the  propriety 


)S£  MEAKS  OF  GRACE.      [lECT.  Vli. 

of  this  course  is  practically  denied  by  the  moral 
Governour  Himself,  His  claims  arc  withdrawn  from 
the  view  of  men,  and  the  foundation  of  all  just  con- 
viction is  removed.  Let  it  be  considered  also  that 
the  primary  and  essential  instruments  by  which 
the  moral  Governour  works  in  the  management  of 
a  rational  kingdom,  are  reason  and  motives.  It 
behooves  Him  therefore,  acting  in  this  character,  to 
spread  before  the  sinner  all  the  motives  which  ought 
to  influence  a  rational  mind  ;  such  as  the  character 
of  the  Lawgiver,  the  nature  of  the  obedience  re- 
quired, his  own  obligations  to  obey,  the  evil  of 
transgression,  and  the  sanctions  of  the  law.  This 
is  the  only  proper  way  to  treat  a  rational  being. 
Thus  you  would  deal  with  a  rebellious  servant 
whom  you  wished  to  reduce  to  obedience.  You 
would  set  before  him  the  justice  of  your  claims,  the 
evil  of  his  conduct,  and  all  the  reasons  for  submis- 
sion which  you  could  produce.  It  was  only  pursu- 
ing the  same  principle  a  little  further,  that  when 
God  undertook  to  bring  back  a  revolted  race  to  His 
service,  and  to  salvation  through  a  Redeemer,  He 
not  only  exposed  to  their  view  their  guilt,  ruin,  just 
condemnation,  and  helplessness,  and  thus  made 
"the  law"  a  "schoolmaster  to  bring"  them  "unto 
Christ;"  but  laid  before  them  the  character,  offices, 
and  work  of  the  Mediator,  the  terms  of  salvation 
through  Him,  and  their  obligations  to  return  in  this 
appointed  way.  Such  an  exposition  of  His  cha- 
racter and  government,  and  the  way  of  restoration, 
with  all  the  circumstances  of  their  case,  (made  by  a 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE!.  183 

course  of  conduct  adapted  to  them  as  subjects  of 
moral  government,)  furnishes  the  very  knowledge 
they  need  to  fit  them  for  deep  repentance  and  ad- 
miring views  of  Christ,  and  to  bring  tiiem  to  as*- 
cribe  all  their  salvation  to  Him  as  soon  as  their 
hearts  are  renewed. 

Peculiar  advantages  are  gained  by  making  these 
discoveries  before  Regeneration.  The  exhibition 
of  such  a  government  and  such  a  way  of  salva- 
tion to  an  opposing  heart,  is  calculated  to  try  the 
strength  of  that  opposition,  and  to  produce  upon  the- 
sinner  a  lasting  impression  of  the  greatness  of  the 
mercy  and  power  which  redeemed  him.  The  in- 
veteracy of  his  opposition  becomes  more  apparent 
by  his  unavailing  struggles  to  subdue  himself.  He 
has  an  opportunity  to  contemplate  the  wretchedness 
of  his  prison,  not  with  the  look  of  a  passing  stran- 
ger, but  with  the  sensations  of  the  prisoner  him- 
self, and  while  entertaining  little  or  no  hope  of  es- 
cape,— to  view  his  native  misery,  not  with  the  ken 
of  an  angel,  but  in  some  measure  with  the  experi- 
enced eye  of  the  damned.  Thus  he  collects  a  deep 
sense  of  many  truths,  not  otherwise  learned,  which 
he  carries  with  him  into  a  gracious  state  ;  and  they 
will  help  him  to  look  back  through  all  eternity, 
with  deeper  humility,  wonder,  and  gratitude,  '*  to 
the  hole  of  the  pit  whence"  he  was  "  digged." 
Thus  the  eyes  of  sinners  are  opened  that  God  may 
perforin  the  great  work  of  restoration  full  in  the  it 
view,  and  lead  them  to  see  the  whole  wondrous 
process  step  by  step  :  that  however  others  may  dc 


18$  MEANS  OF  GRACE.      [lECT.  VII. 

ny  His  agency  in  this  work,  there  may  he  as  many 
witnesses  as  there  are  converted  sinners.  Thus  they 
are  brought  to  Zion,  not  like  blind  machines,  but 
like  rational  beings,  and  are  illuminated  before  the 
passage,  are  illuminated  in  the  passage,  and  are 
illuminated  after  the  passage,  that  they  may  make 
every  stage  with  their  eyes  open,  and  see  all  that  is 
done  for  them  ;  that  they  may  first  distinctly  survey 
the  dreary  scene  without  the  walls,  and  compare  it 
with  the  beauty  and  glory  within  ;  in  other  words, 
that  they  may  trace  the  workings  of  their  own 
minds  before  and  after,  and  estimate  the  greatness 
of  the  change,  and  know  the  power  and  mercy  by 
which  it  was  produced, — that  entering  on  the  new 
life  with  a  deep  view  of  their  native  guiit,  ruin,  and 
helplessness,  they  may  begin  their  course  with  more 
humility,  dependance,  and  gratitude,  with  clearer 
apprehensions  of  the  sovereignty  of  grace,  with 
higher  admiration  of  all  the  provisions  of  the  Gos  • 
pel,  and  with  minds  sufficiently  enlightened  to  as- 
cribe all  the  glory  of  their  salvation  to  Christ. 

The  necessity  of  some  knowledge  before  liege « 
ncration  will  be  set  in  a  strong  light  by  adverting  to 
the  case  of  a  heathen.  Were  a  pagan  to  receive  a 
new  heart,  it  could  be  of  no  manner  of  use,  except 
so  far  as  regards  his  feelings  and  conduct,  very  im- 
perfectly regulated,  towards  his  fellow-men.  He 
cannot  love  God,  for  he  never  heard  of  Him ;  he 
cannot  repent  of  sin,  for  he  has  no  knowledge  of  the 
divine  law  ;  he  cannot  believe  in  Christ,  for  he 
knows  not  that  such  a  Being  exists.      Before  the 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF   GRACE,  185 

new  life  is  imparted  a  body  of  truth  must  be  formed 
in  the  understanding,  to  prepare  the  way  for  Chris- 
tian exercises  as  soon  as  the  heart  is  renewed.  This 
is  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  vision  of  Ezekiel.* 
It  would  have  been  to  no  purpose  to  have  imparted 
life  to  the  dry  bones  in  their  disjointed  state.     They 
could    not    have    seen,    for    they  had    no    eye ; 
they  could  not  have  heard,  for  they  had  no  ear ; 
they   could   not    have   spoken,   for   they   had   no 
mouth  ;  they  could  not  have  moved,  for  they  had 
neither  joint  nor  muscle.     Life  would  have  been 
utterly  lost   upon  them.      Before  the    inspiration 
of  breath  the  bones  must  come  together,  bone  to 
his    bone,  the   sinews   and  flesh   must   come  up 
upon  them,  and  the  skin  must  cover  them  above ; 
and  thus  human  bodies  must  be  organized  to  exer- 
cise the  functions  of  living  men.     A  similar  pre- 
paration is  made  before  the  infusion  of  life  and 
breath  in  the  natural  birth.      A  body  is  first  form- 
ed and  fitted  to  exercise  the  living  functions,  and 
then  life  and  breath  are  inspired.     The  necessity 
of  a  correspondent  preparation  for  the  second  birth 
is  clearly  suggested  by  analogy.     Or  to  vary  the 
illustration,  if  you  form  a  design  to  convert  a  dun- 
geon into  a  convenient  room  for  business,  you  first 
store  it  with   furniture  and  admit  the  light.      Or 
to  bring  a  case  still  more  in  point,   God  in  the 
beginning  created  the  light  before  He  formed  the 
pye. 

*  Ezek.  xxxvii.  1—10. 


186  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [i.ECT.  VI i. 

Some  knowledge  antecedent  to  Regeneration  is 
then  necessary.  And  it  must  be  more  than  barely 
sufficient  to  distinguish  a  man  from  a  heathen, — 
more  indeed  than  any  sinner  in  a  Gospel  land  will 
acquire  in  a  state  of  stupidity.  One  may  live  with 
the  Bible  in  his  hands  all  his  days  without  a  real- 
izing sense  of  a  single  truth,  and  with  no  under- 
standing of  several  things  most  important  to  be 
known  before  the  new  birth,  such  as  the  enmity 
and  stubbornness  of  the  heart,  his  desert  of  eternal 
punishment,  his  helplessness  and  perishing  need  of 
a  Saviour  :  and  should  he  suddenly  receive  a  new 
heart  in  that  condition,  he  would  probably  never  to 
the,  day  of  his  death  possess  so  deep  a  sense  of  the 
native  ruin  of  man,  and  the  sovereignty  of  grace, 
nor  give  so  much  glory  to  Christ,  as  though  his  an- 
tecedent knowledge  had  been  greater.  He  would 
be  likely,  (especially  if  surrounded  by  people  as 
ignorant  as  himself,)  to  pass  through  life  with  very 
indistinct  ideas  of  the  Gospel  way  of  salvation,  and 
never  extend  a  view  beyond  the  outlines  of  Chris- 
tianity. Such  Christians  we  must  charitably  be- 
lieve there  are, — converted  with  little  more  know- 
ledge than  is  common  to  other  stupid  sinners ;  and 
they  labour  through  life  with  very  confused  ideas 
of  the  ruin  and  helplessness  of  man,  the  sovereign- 
ty of  grace,  and  all  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel.  If  such  are  received  as  brethren,  they 
ought  to  be  contented,  and  not  condemn  the  views 
of  others  who  have  been  favoured  with  more  deep 
and  abasing  discoveries  than  themselves. 


LECT.  VII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  187 

It  is  one  of  the  established  laws  of  the  universe 
that  creatures  should  acquire  their  knowledge  gra  - 
dually,  and  not  all  at  once.  It  does  not  comport 
with  this  law,  (nor  yet  with  another  by  which  it  is 
£xed  that  our  sense  of  things  shall  be  drawn  from 
experience , J  that  the  deficiency  of  antecedent 
knowledge  should  be  supplied  by  sudden  commu- 
nications at  the  time  of  Regeneration.  That  deep 
view  of  native  guilt  and  stubbornness  which  is 
necessary  to  do  honour  to  Christ  and  sovereign 
grace,  must  be  obtained  beforehand,  and  will  never 
be  obtained  in  a  state  of  stupidity.  The  sinner 
must  be  awakened  and  convicted  for  a  consider- 
able  time,  before  lie  will  know  enough  of  his  con- 
dition and  necessities  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  of  his 
salvation  to  Christ.  And  till  he  is  prepared  to  do 
this,  in  an  ordinary  way  God  will  not  change  his 
heart. 

This  then  is  the  preparation  which  commonly 
precedes  the  new  birth.  It  consists  entirely  in  a 
conviction  of  truth,  and  of  course  is  brought  about 
by  the  immediate  instrumentality  of  the  Word, 
and  the  means  appointed  to  impress  that  Word 
on  the  mind.  Here  the  work  of  preparation 
ends.  This  is  the  boundary  of  all  that  can  be 
done  for  unregenerate  men.  The  preparation 
does  not  improve,  and  has  no  tendency  to  change, 
their  hearts.  The  bodies  in  the  valley  of  vision 
were  as  dead  after  their  organization  as  before  ; 
nor  had  the  organization  the  least  tendency  to 
originate   life.      This   was.  infused   bv  the   wind 


188  MEANS  OF  GRACE.      [LECT.  VII. 

which  afterwards  breathed  through  the  valley. 
And  in  the  case  under  consideration,  "Neither 
is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that  wa- 
tereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase."*  The 
ancient  dispute  between  Abraham  and  the  rich 
man  in  torment  whether  the  most  powerful  array 
of  motives  could  change  the  heart,  has  convinced 
thousands  in  every  generation,  and  me  among  the* 
rest,  that  they  who  for  twenty  or  thirty  years  can 
withstand  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  would  not  "be 
persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead."f 


*  1  Cor.  iii.  7.  f  Luke  xvi.  19—31; 


LECTURE  VIII. 


SAME  SUBJECT  CONTINUED 


ISAIAH  LV.  11. 

SO  SHALL  MY  WORD  BE  THAT  GOETH  FORTH  OUT  OF  MT  MOUTH  ;  IT  SHALL. 
NOT  RETURN  UNTO  ME  VOID,  BUT  IT  SHALL  ACCOMPLISH  THAT  WniCH. 
I  PLEASE.,  AND    IT   SHALL  PROSPER  IN  THE  THING  WHERETO  I  SENT  IT. 

III.  I  am  to  treat  of  the  means  and  influences 
by  which  the  Word  is  conveyed  to  the  minds  of 
the  unregenerate. 

It  is  now  ascertained  that  all  that  can  he  done 
for  the  unregenerate,  by  their  own  exertions,  or  the 
efforts  of  others,  or  the  Means  of  Grace,  or  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit,  (laying  out  of  account  the 
prayers  of  Christians  for  them,)  is  to  set  home  upon 
their  minds  the  truths  of  the  Word.  The  question 
then  arises,  how  far  are  these  several  agents  and 
instruments  concerned  in  this  effect,  and  what  pro- 
portion of  the  effect  is  ascribable  to  a  natural,  and 
what  to  a  supernatural  operation  ?  It  is  important 
to  know  how  to  estimate  both  our  dcpendance  on 
God,  and  the  value  of  the  Means  of  Grace  ;  to  as^ 
certain,  on  the  one  hand,  how  far  we  are  beholden 


190  MEANS    OP   GRACE,  [LECT.  VIII. 

io  a  supernatural  influence,  and  to  what  extent  that 
influence  coincides  with  the  course  of  nature,  and 
encourages  human  exertions ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
how  far  means  and  human  efforts  are  available,  and 
which  of  the  exertions  of  men,  and  of  the  means 
within  their  reach,  have  the  fairest  chance  for  suc- 
cess. But  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  the  effect  about 
which  we  are  inquiring.  It  is  not  Regeneration, 
nor  conversion,  but  simply  the  conviction  of  the 
unregenerate. 

This  effect  is  partly  natural  and  partly  super- 
natural. The  supernatural  influence,  though  not  so 
regular  in  its  operation  as  *to  reduce  it  to  one  of  the 
laws  of  nature,  is  so  far  stated  and  coincident  with 
the  natural  order  as  greatly  to  encourage  human  ex- 
ertions. In  illustrating  these  ideas  we  shall  have 
an  opportunity  to  contemplate  the  vast  importance 
of  the  means  and  efforts  which  God  has  appointed 
for  man. 

( 1 . )  The  effect  is  partly  natural.  This  at  once 
brings  back  the  question,  how  far  the  exertions  of  the 
unregenerate  themselves,  and  the  efforts  of  others 
for  them,  and  the  Means  of  Grace,  are  concerned 
in  conveying  truth  to  their  minds  in  a  natural  way. 
Now  it  is  manifest  that  all  the  ordinances  of  reli- 
gion address  truth  directly  to  their  eyes  or  ears,  in 
in  a  manner  perfectly  natural.  The  dispensations 
of  providence  suggest  truth  to  their  minds  in  the 
same  direct  way,  or  by  means  of  the  association  of 
ideas.  The  expositions  and  exhortations  of  others 
lay  before  them  the  instructions  and  motives  con* 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    O?    GRACE.  191 

tained  in  truth.  Their  own  exertions,  (except  the 
mere  motions  of  the  body,)  are  all  comprehended  in 
the  single  word  attention, — attention  to  truth,  and 
to  the  means  appointed  to  convey  truth  to  the  mind. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  an  effort  of  the  mind  to 
fix  its  eye  on  truth,  much  like  the  effort  of  the  na- 
tural eye  to  adjust  itself  to  an  object,  and  to  pry  if 
the  object  is  indistinct.  Without  this  effort  of  its 
own,  all  the  exertions  of  others  to  bring  truth  be- 
fore it  are  in  vain.  A  thousand  objects  may  be 
presented,  but  if  the  mind  shuts  its  eye,  or  turns  it 
another  way,  it  is  all  to  no  purpose.  It  must  at- 
tend for  itself  or  it  will  never  see.  Even  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit,  (such  influence  I  mean  as  is  af- 
forded to  the  unregenerate,)  if  it  could  be  exert- 
ed without  fixing  the  attention,  would  infuse  no 
light,  would  produce  no  effect.  Every  ray  of  light 
must  enter  through  the  eye  of  the  mind,  and  except 
flashes  sometimes  produced  by  more  immediate 
power,  must  enter  while  the  eye  is  purposely  di- 
rected towards  the  object. 

Thus  far  the  process  is  altogether  natural ;  and 
according  to  the  laws  of  nature  the  effect  would  be 
proportionate  to  the  human  exertions  within  and 
without,  and  greater  or  less  according  to  the  chan- 
nels through  which  the  truth  was  conveyed,  and  to 
the  means  employed  to  propel  it  through.  There 
are  different  channels  by  which  natural  truths  arc 
carried  to  the  mind  with  different  decrees  of  clear- 
ness,  such  as  the  external  senses,  the  passions,  the 
imagination.   &c.      There    are  different  outward 


192  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [LECT.  VIII, 

means  by  which  natural  truths  arc  propelled 
through  these  channels  with  different  degrees  of 
force,  such  as  the  instructive  discourses  and  pas- 
sionate addresses  of  others,  including  their  tones, 
gestures,  &c.  But  the  same  instruments  and  chan- 
nels by  which  natural  truth  is  conveyed  to  the 
mind  with  different  degrees  of  force,  will  serve  for 
the  conveyance  of  spiritual  truth  with  force  in  cor- 
responding proportions,  though  weakened  in  all  its 
degrees  by  the  resistance  which  it  meets  within. 
Again,  it  is  a  law  of  nature  that  when  the  mind 
turns  its  own  attention  to  natural  truth  it  discovers 
it,  and  with  a  degree  of  clearness  proportioned  to 
the  intenseness  of  its  application.  By  a  process 
equally  natural  it  may  discover  divine  truth,  with  a 
distinctness  proportionate  to  the  degree  of  its  atten- 
tion, except  so  far  as  its  vision  is  perverted  by  pre- 
judice,— allowing  also  that  the  views  accompanying 
every  degree  of  attention  will  be  greatly  obscured 
by  unbelief.  Now  the  mind  is  capable  of  different 
degrees  of  attention,  from  what  may  be  called  simple 
reflection,  up  through  the  ascending  grades  of  medi- 
tation, study,  and  that  agonizing  reach  of  soul 
which  is  put  forth  in  prayer.  In  no  other  sense  than 
as  being  the  highest  degree  of  attention  to  truth,  are 
the  prayers  of  the  unregenerate  of  any  use.  But  as 
such,  when  the  mind  is  serious  in  the  effort,  they 
are  of  all  means  the  most  powerful  to  impress  truth 
upon  the  conscience, — those  truths  in  particular 
which  the  soul  struggles  most  to  apprehend  in 
prayer,  for  instance,  those  which  respect  the  cha- 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE*  193 

racter  of  God,  His  relations  to  us,  the  vileness, 
clanger,  and  ruin  of  the  sinner,  and  his  helpless- 
ness, made  more  and  more  apparent  by  every 
struggle  to  subdue  himself  and  prevail  with  God. 
That  divine  truth  should  be  apprehended  in  pro- 
portion to  these  several  degrees  of  attention,  when, 
ignorance  or  special  prejudice  does  not  prevent,  is 
altogether  according  to  the  laws  of  nature.  Fur- 
dicr,  so  far  as  the  attention  is  turned  to  divine 
things  by  the  mere  influence  of  the  Means  of  Grace, 
or  the  exertions  of  others,  or  any  of  those  causes 
which  act  on  the  body  and  induce  melancholy,  as 
sickness,  affliction,  evening,  autumn,  &c.  it  is  a 
natural  effect.  Also,  the  anxious  feelings  of  the 
sinner  which  follow  in  view  of  truth,  appear  to  be 
as  much  a  natural  effect,  (allowing  the  truth  to  be 
flrst  set  home,)  as  the  sensation  produced  by  the 
touch  of  tire.     But 

(2.)  After  natural  causes  have  spent  their 
force,  the  attention  is  by  no  means  sufficiently  rous- 
ed, nor  the  truth  sufficiently  apprehended,  to  an- 
swer the  purpose.  There  is  occasion  for  the  inter- 
position of  supernatural  power.  It  was  not  the 
voice  of  Ezekiel,  but  the  power  of  God,  which  or- 
ganized the  bodies  in  the  valley  ;  and  it  is  the  of- 
fice work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  "  convince  the  world 
of  sin/'*  This  supernatural  influence  answers 
three  ends  :  First,  to  bring  truth  into  view  without 
the  aid  of  means.  Awakening  thoughts  arc  often 
fehot  into  the  mind  in  a  way  not  to  be  accounted  for 

*  John  xvi,  8. 


191  .        MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [LECT.  VIII. 

on  the  principle  of  association,  nor  from  any  of 
the  known  laws  of  nature.  Secondly,  to  disclose 
the  sinner's  heart  to  his  own  view,  and  thus  induce 
a  self-application  of  the  truths  which  come  in  from 
the  Word.  But  the  principal  end  is,  Thirdly,  to 
counteract  that  unbelief  which  blinds  the  mind  and 
prevents  a  realizing  sense  of  truth.  This  particu- 
lar act  of  God,  to  which  I  intend  to  confine  my  at- 
tention, brings  no  truth  before  the  mind,  but  only 
causes  what  is  already  there  to  be  realized.  How 
this  is  done  we  can  by  no  means  explain.  How  a 
truth  which  already  lies  before  the  understanding 
is  made  to  be  more  deeply  realized,  by  an  influence 
which  makes  no  alteration  in  the  temper  of  the. 
heart,  we  can  no  more  conceive  than  how  unim 
bodied  spirits  communicate  their  thoughts  to  each 
other.  But  it  appears  to  be  something  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  merely  fixing  the  attention.  The  at- 
tention is  often  closely  fixed  while  no  realizing 
sense  of  truth  is  obtained.  All  we  can  say  is,  it  i^ 
an  operation  which  counteracts  the  blindness  of  un- 
belief, and  increases  the  liveliness  of  speculative 
faith.  Were  it  not  for  this  influence,  in  its  more 
imperceptible  operations,  unbelief  would  probably 
so  blind  the  mind  as  to  produce  a  total  neglect  of 
the  Means  of  Grace,  and  truth  would  not  be  suffi- 
ciently realized  to  turn  the  attention  to  divine  sub- 
jects, and  give  opportunity  for  the  natural  causes 
which  have  been  mentioned  to  operate.  Unbelief 
would  so  strongly  guard  the  avenues  to  the  soul, 
that  ordinances,  dispensations  of  providence;  and 


LECT.  VIIT.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  195 

human  eloquence,  (which  can  now  send  in  divine 
truth  by  a  natural  process,)  would  have  no  c fleet. 
And  should  this  divine  influence,  combined  Avith 
natural  causes,  produce  as  much  belief  and  attention 
as  can  be  found  in  the  most  decent  of  the  una- 
wakened,  and  go  no  further,  the  man  would  die 
grossly  ignorant  of  many  things  important  to  be 
known  before  Regeneration. 

This  operation  which  causes  truth  to  be  reali- 
zed, is  wholly  the  work  of  God,  to  which  no  means 
or  human  exertions  from  without  can  reach  a 
helping  hand.  And  that  His  agency  may  be  the 
more  manifest,  He  does  npt  always  cause  the  mind 
to  realize  what  is  laid  before  it,  even  when  its  at- 
tention is  highly  excited.     Still 

(3s)  This  operation  is  so  far  stated  as  to  ac- 
commodate itself  to  the  nature  of  man,  and  encou- 
rage human  exertions.  When  motives  are  present- 
ed and  pressed  upon  the  mind  by  ministers  and 
Christians,  that  is  the  time  which  the  Spirit  ordi- 
narily takes  to  carry  them  home  to  the  conscience. 
Millions  of  instances,  amounting  to  general  expe- 
rience, and  producing  an  ordinary  calculation,  at- 
test this.  Such  an  order  seems  established,  not 
only  that  by  encouraging  human  instrumentality 
the  best  affections  of  the  heart  my  be  called  forth  ; 
not  only  that  the  light  which  comes  from  God  ac- 
companied with  effects  so  glorious,  may  disclose 
its  source  by  being  conveyed  to  the  mind  through 
visible  conductors  ;  but  that  men  as  moral  agents 
may  be  wrought  upon  in  a  way  conformable  to  theit 


196  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [lECT.  VIII, 

nature, — in  a  way  as  nearly  coincident  as  possi- 
ble with  the  natural  order.      And  it  does  in  fact 
very   nearly  coincide   with  that.      When    truths, 
naturally    adapted    to  interest    the   existing;  feel- 
ings of  the   heart,  are  urged   by  others,    it   is  a 
law   of   nature   that    the    feelings   should   be  in- 
terested   by  them.       In   the   present  case    unbe- 
lief keeps  them    out,    and  prevents  what   other- 
wise  would    be    a  natural    effect.       It   is    only 
necessary    that  divine   power    should    counteract 
this   unbelief,  and  then  the  Word,    and  ordinan- 
ces, and  dispensations  of  God,  and  the  appeals  of 
sacred  eloquence,  will  naturally  move   the   soul. 
God  really  carries  sinners  through  the  whole  course 
of  conviction  by  the  power  of  motives,  as  in  every 
instance  of  moral  suasion,  except  that  He  counter- 
acts their  unbelief,  and  so  lets  the  motives  in  full 
upon  their  minds,  leaving  them  then  to  produce 
their  natural  effect.     But  it  is  moral  suasion  still. 
It  is  God  speaking  inwardly  to  the  mind.     Not 
leaving  the  motives  where  they  dropt  from  the  lips 
of  human  eloquence,  He  carries  them  in  and  lays 
them  before  the  eye  of  the  soul,  and  becomes  Him- 
self the  preacher  to  a  new  sense.     It  is  still  no- 
thing but  truth  addressed  to  the  mind,  as  in  every 
instance  of  moral  suasion.     The  only  difference  is, 
that  in  one  case  He  gives  efficacy  to  truth  by  the 
natural  operations  of  His   power,  in  a  way  alto- 
gether stated ;  in  the  other,  by  the  supernatural,  and 
in  a  less  stated  manner.     But  even  in  that  which  is 
less  stated  He  acts  very  much  in  a  line  with  nature, 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  197 

entering  the  mind  by  tl>c  ordinary  avenues,  and 
pressing  natural  causes  into  cooperation,  so  that  to 
an  observer  the  whole  appears  often  like  a  natural 
effect.  Thus  when  the  mind  is  softened  by  afflic- 
tion, or  put  in  a  frame  for  serious  reflection  by 
causes  operating  on  the  body,  or  by  a  view  of  dan 
ger,  that  is  the  time  when  it  is  most  likely  to  come 
under  those  impressions  which  but  for  unbelief 
would  have  been  a  natural  effect.  It  is  upon 
flie  same  principle  that  the  operations  of  grace 
after  conversion  are  regulated  so  much  by  the  pe- 
culiarities of  different  constitutions.  Grace  sets  the 
man  in  motion  as  nature  made  him,  only  in  pur- 
suit of  a  new  object.  Ardent  men  make  ardent 
Christians,  and  timid  men  make  fearful  Chris- 
tians. 

Upon  the  same  principle  the  particular  kinds  of 
address  which  would  be  best  calculated  to  impress 
the  mind  were  there  no  unbelief,  and  therefore  no 
need  of  supernatural  interposition,  is  now  best  cal- 
culated to  impress  it.  God  more  generally  causes 
the  impression  which  depends  on  His  agency  to 
bear  much  the  same  proportion  to  the  natural  power 
of  means  as  though  it  were  a  natural  effect.  Thus  a 
pungent  exhortation  is  likely  to  make  deeper  im- 
pressions than  a  frigid  exposition.  The  manner 
best  calculated  to  persuade  a  reasonable  man  to  do 
you  a  favour,  is  best  calculated  to  prevail  on  him  to 
be  a  Christian.  When  the  parent  sits  down  in 
earnest  to  press  the  conscience  of  his  child,  and 
feeto  that  he  cannot  let  him  go,  he  is  very  likely  to 


198  MEANS    OF   GRACE.  [lECT.  VIII. 

succeed.  These  things  are  so  ordered,  among  other 
reasons,  to  encourage  us  to  put  every  wheel  of  na- 
ture in  motion  for  the  salvation  of  men  which  would 
promise  to  he  successful  if  that  salvation  were  a 
natural  effect.  Were  we  not  encouraged  to  make 
these  exertions,  we  could  make  none  at  all,  ex- 
cept merely  by  jirayer ;  for  all  our  other  means, 
and  all  our  powers,  lie  within  the  boundaries  of 
nature.  We  cannot  reach  beyond,  nor  move  a 
step  but  by  her  laws.  Yet  all  these  means  and 
efforts  prove  unavailing  in  instances  enough  to 
convince  us  of  our  absolute  dependance  on  super- 
natural power. 

Thus  far  I  have  applied  the  principle  to  the 
exertions  of  men  for  the  conviction  of  others  ;  but 
the  coincidence  of  the  supernatural  with  the  natu- 
ral order  will  more  clearly  appear  from  the  use 
that  is  made  of  the  sinner's  own  asjencv.  God 
carries  on  the  work  of  conviction,  (so  far  as  He  is 
pleased  to  advance  it,)  through  the  sinner's  own 
attention,  pouring  light  through  the  eye  of  the  mind 
as  it  is  eagerly  held  towards  the  truth,  and  making 
the  effect  to  depend  on  that  attention  as  really  as 
in  any  other  case.  To  go  back  to  the  beginning  : 
the  mind  of  the  stupid  sinner  always  has  an  eye 
open,  however  vacantly  it  may  gaze,  and  truth  in 
the  first  instance  is  brought  and  laid  before  it  by 
divine  or  human  agency  without  any  effort  of  its 
own.  At  that  moment  God  gives,  or  neglects  to 
give,  a  realizing  view.  If  the  view  is  not  suffi- 
ciently distinct  to  fix  the  attention,  and  the  mind 


t,ECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    Or    GRACE.  199 

turns  its  eye  away,  or  fails  to  adjust  it  to  the 
object,  the  view  will  be  gone,  or  continue  very 
indistinct  and  only  for  a  short  time.  All  the  ef- 
forts from  without,  whether  of  God  or  man,  do  no 
more  than  present  objects  of  attention,  and  urge 
motives  to  stimulate  attention,  and  cause  realizing 
views  to  accompany  attention.  But  if  the  attention 
is  not  fixed  the  effect  ceases.  The  mind  must  see 
for  itself,  or  it  will  not  perceive  ;  and  it  cannot  sea 
(he  object  while  the  eye  is  turned  another  way. 
The  sinner  must  attend  to  what  in  the  first  instance 
is  laid  before  him,  and  under  the  excitement  of  that 
motive  must  put  himself  in  the  way  to  see  more,  and 
as  new  truth  is  presented  must  fix  his  eye  eagerly 
on  that,  and  stimulated  by  the  new  motives  thus 
discovered  must  bend  a  still  more  earnest  atten- 
tion to  the  subject,  and  so  on  in  a  series  of  increas- 
ing efforts,  or  according  to  God's  ordinary  mode  of 
operation  he  will  never  be  convicted. 

All  this  time  the  hand  of  God  is  behind  him, 
effectually  urging  him  forward  by  a  clear  display  of 
motives  :  and  it  is  before  him,  pouring  new  light 
through  the  eye  as  it  gazes.  The  first  realizing 
view  which  fixes  the  attention  is  from  God.  As 
the  attention  is  thus  turned  to  truth,  and  by  a  natural 
process  obtains  clearer  knowledge,  the  superna- 
tural influence,  counteracting  the  blindness  of  un- 
belief, saves  a  still  more  realizing  view.  The  at- 
iention  thus  sharpened  gazes  with  greater  eager- 
ness, and  the  accompanying  influence  continues  to 
give  realizing  views  of  what  the  mind  by  its  own 


200  MEANS    OF   GRACE.  [l/SCT.  VIII. 

effort  indistinctly  discovers.  And  more  gene- 
rally the  realizing  sense,  in  every  step  of  the  pro- 
gress, is  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  attention 
which  immediately  preceded.  Not  always  how- 
ever. There  are  exceptions  enough  to  convince, 
the  mind  of  its  absolute  dependance  on  supernatural 
power, — a  sense  which  goes  in  to  constitute  an  es- 
sential part  of  the  conviction  desired.  Thus  by  its 
very  failures  the  attention  helps  forward  with 
the  work.  So  by  its  failure  to  conquer  the 
heart,  and  bribe  God  by  self-righteousness,  it 
brings  an  increased  sense  of  the  stubbornness  of  the 
heart,  and  the  need  of  a  Saviour.  But  it  advances 
the  work  chiefly  by  its  success,  the  view  following 
the  effort  to  see  as  though  it  were  a  natural  effect. 
While  the  mind  strives  to  see  it  sees  ;  while  it  ga- 
zes with  increased  eagerness,  it  sees  more  and  more. 
Through  the  sinner's  own  exertions  to  frequent 
places  where  truth  is  displayed, — through  his  pry- 
ing efforts  to  see  the  object  in  the  clearest  light,  to 
catch  its  exact  lines  and  colours, — through  the 
deep  attention  which  he  pays  to  his  own  wretch- 
ed character  and  wretched  case,  the  work  of  illu- 
mination and  conviction  is  carried  on.  The  sin- 
ner's agency,  though  not  employed  in  Regeneration, 
is  greatly  employed  here.  It  is  as  much  employed 
in  the  progress  of  conviction,  (so  far  as  God  is 
pleased  to  carry  on  the  work,)  as  the  agency  of  the 
Christian  in  the  progress  of  sanctification, — with 
these  points  of  difference  however  :  the  Christian 
lias  a  promise  and  certainty  that  his  agency  shall 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  201 

succeed,  the  sinner  has  no  promise  or  certainty  at 
all :  the  Christian's  agency  is  holy,  and  connect- 
ed with  a  holy  result,  the  sinner's  agency  is  unho- 
ly, and  connected  with  no  other  result  than  a  con- 
viction of  truth.  But  the  two  cases  agree  in  these 
three  respects  :  in  neither  is  the  human  agency  the 
efficient  cause  ;  in  neither  can  the  effect  follow 
without  that  agency  ;  in  hoth  that  agency  has  a 
somewhat  stated,  (much  resembling  a  natural)  ten- 
dency, by  the  accompanying  influence  of  God,  to 
produce  the  effect.  These  three  ideas  are  perfect- 
ly displayed  in  a  single  case  :  Sampson  must  bow 
himself  with  all  his  might  to  remove  the  pillars  of 
the  house,  though  the  house  fell  by  supernatural 
power.  The  power  acting  thus  through  his  will 
and  agency,  gave  every  appearance  of  a  natural 
effect.  Thus  God  works  "  all  oar  works  in  us." 
We  "  labour,  striving  according  to  Hi  3  working 
which  worketh  in"  us  "  mightily."  While  ice 
"  work  out"  our  "  own  salvation,"  it  is  lie  that 
••  worketh  in"  us  "  to  will  and  to  do."* 

IV.  I  am  to  treat  of  the  success  of  the  Word 
in  accomplishing,  as  the  text  suggests,  every  end 
Which  God  designed. 

That  men  are  convicted  who  are  never  con- 
verted, facts  abundantly  testify.     That  they  return 
to  sin  from  every  stage  of  conviction,  is  equally  evi- 
dent.    In  many  instances  they  "quench — the  Spi 
rit,"  and  fall  away  after  having  been  "enlighten- 

*  Tsai.  xxvi.  12.    Phil,  u,  12,  13.    Col  i.  29. 


~U£  MEANS    01"    GRACE,  [LECl'.   vlli* 

cd,"  and  k»  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift/'  and  been 
"  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost/'  and  "  tasted 
of  the  good  Word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come."*  That  God  should  begin  a  work 
of  conviction  upon  the  non-elect,  is  no  more  un- 
accountable than  that  He  should  send  them  the 
Gospel.  The  design  in  both  cases  is  doubtless  the 
same.  But  the  question  is,  Hoes  His  power  secure 
the  conviction  of  as  many  as  He  pleases,  and  as  far 
as  He  pleases?  Or  is  the  event  left  contingent?  I 
shall  assume  that  the  work  is  carried  on  through  the 
sinner's  own  attention,  that  if  his  eye  is  not  kept 
anxiously  turned  toward  the  truth  with  a  strong  ef- 
fort to  see,  the  whole  effect  will  fail.  The  question 
then  is,  Will  God  certainly  keep  up  that  attention 
as  far  as  He  pleases  ?  And  how  can  He  keep  it  up 
in  spite  of  all  resistance,  (without  altering  the  dis- 
position or  weakening  the  resistance,)  and  yet  leave 
the  sinner  free  ? 

In  this  place  it  is  necessary  to  introduce  more 
distinctly  the  doctrine  of  motives.  Either  we  must 
admit  the  self- determining  power  of  the  will,  hold- 
ing in  its  hand  the  decision  whether  to  yield  or  not 
to  yield  to  motives,  or  we  must  believe  that  the  will 
is  absolutely  governed  by  motives.  The  latter  is 
unquestionably  the  truth,  and  common  sense,  in- 
structed by  experience,  pronounces  it  true  every 
hour  of  the  day.  Common  sense,  delivered  from 
the  labyrinths  of  metaphysicks,  pronounces  that 
men  alwavs  vicld  to  the  strongest  inducement,  and 

*  Heb.  vi.  4—3. 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF   GRACE.  203 

yet  are  free.  Upon  this  principle  yon  arc  constant- 
ly calculating  the  future  conduct  of  men.  You  feci 
a  perfect  confidence  that  if  you  offer  a  miser  a  bag 
of  money  to  induce  him  to  walk  a  mile,  and  no 
stronger  motive  draws  the  other  way,  he  will  com- 
ply ;  and  yet  you  never  dreamed  that  he  would  not 
be  free.  The  whole  business  of  the  commercial 
world  is  conducted  upon  the  same  calculation,  and 
so  is  the  whole  system  of  social  intercourse.  Break 
up  the  uniformity  of  this  principle,  and  leave  it 
wholly  uncertain  whether  a  father  Avill  move  to 
snatch  a  child  from  the  fire,  whether  the  friend  who 
meets  you  in  the  street  will  be  restrained  by  a  thou- 
sand motives  from  taking  your  life;  and  all  the 
foundations  of  order  and  rational  action  are  remo- 
ved, and  the  world  is  transformed  into  one  vast 
bedlam, — a  bedlam  in  which  the  maniacks  are  as 
likely  to  kill  a  friend  to  gain  a  feather  as  to  win  a 
crown, — as  likely  to  kill  a  friend  without  motives, 
and  in  full  opposition  to  all  motives,  as  to  hurt  an 
enemy  when  most  highly  induced.  This  is  a  new 
species  of  madmen,  a  world  of  madmen  moving  in 
a  maze,  without  a  particle  of  reflection,  without  any 
end  or  object  even  floating  in  a  distempered  fancy. 
Such  a  self-moving  will,  (good  Lord  deliver  us  !) 
— such  a  self-moving  will,  unharnessed  from  reason 
and  let  loose  into  the  world,  would  be  more  to  be 
dreaded  than  wolves  and  tigers.  In  short  there 
can  be  no  rational  action  a  whit  further  than  the 
will  is  absolutely  controuled  by  motives  ;  that  is  to 
-ay,  a  whit  further  than  v.  has  a  reason ■  f<jr  its'  de~ 


MO^  means  of  grace.  [lect.  vnr. 

cisions,  and  is  governed  by  the  considerations  which 
appear  strongest  and  best. 

The  world  then  is  governed  by  motives.  Of 
course  it  is  easy  with  God,  without  in  the  least  al- 
tering the  disposition,  to  exert  a  perfect  controul 
over  all  the  volitions  of  men,  by  only  spreading  for 
them  a  proper  train  of  motives.  To  recur  now  to 
the  question  :  it  is  only  for  God  to  display  truth 
before  the  minds  of  sinners,  with  so  much  clear- 
ness as  to  create  a  motive  to  attention  stronger 
than  every  opposite  motive,  and  the  attention  is 
secured.  So  long  as  He  continues  to  exert  such 
an  influence,  the  attention  will  be  kept  alive,  and 
exactly  in  proportion  to  the  clearness  and  strength 
of  the  motives  presented.  The  motives  cannot  in- 
deed  act  upon  rny  other  than  natural  principles.* 
for  none  else  exist.  The  sinner  will  not  follow 
them  to  the  end  to  which  they  invite,  viz.  to  holi- 
ness ;  but  he  will  be  sure  to  follow  where  apparent 
interest  calls,  and  of  course  to  those  efforts  after 
deliverance  which  will  fix  his  eye  attentively  upon 
divine  truth.  Whom  therefore  God  chooses  to 
convict  He  will  convict,  and  just  as  far  as  He 
pleases,  and  that  through  their  own  voluntary  aU 
tention. 

It  may  then  be  asked^  how  far  have  sinners  the 
power  to  prevent  the  effect  ?  The  answer  is,  they 
have  complete  natural  power  to  prevent,  as  in  eve- 
ry other  case  where  their  agency  is  necessary  to  the 
issue.  This  ability  however  lies  not  in  the  self- de- 
termining power  of  the  will,  but  in  a  power  to  exe 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF   GRACE.  %05 

cute  any  opposite  decree  which  the  will  should 
issue ;  in  other  words,  in  a  power  to  turn  away  the 
attention  if  they  are  so  inclined.    This  case  is  mate- 
rially different  from  that  of  Regeneration,  where  the 
effect  is  wrought  without  their  agency.     In  this  case 
they  have  as  much  power  to  turn  away  their  atten- 
tion, and  thus  arrest  the  progress  of  conviction,  as 
they  have  to  stop  in  a  journey  when  the   stronger 
motive  impels  them  forward,  as  they  have  to  sit 
still  when  the  stronger  motive  solicits  them  to  walk? 
as  they  have  to  refuse  an  invitation  to  a  feast  when 
urged  and  entreated  by  a  friend.      If  the  motive 
which  incites  them  to  divine  contemplations  is  not 
at  first  strong  enough  to  countervail  all  others,  God 
will  indeed,  if  He  is  determined  ou  success,  press 
them  with  stronger  inducements  till  He  prevails. 
But  the  whole  process  is  still  of  the  nature  of  moral 
suasion.     There  is  no  more  compulsion  in  the  case 
than  in  all  the  common  actions  of  life ;  for  all  our 
actions  are  equally  governed  by  motives.      Nor  is 
this  particular  case  at  all  different  from  the  rest, 
except  that  the  motives  are  more  solemn,  and  are 
made  clear  to  the  mind  by  supernatural  power.     In 
a  word  the  sinner  is  as  free  to  turn  away,  and  thus 
stop  the  progress  of  conviction,  and  by  this  means 
prevent  Regeneration,  as  he  is  to  do  any  other 
thing ;  but  it  is  certain  that  he  icill  mot  turn  away 
if  God  continues  to  set  sufficient  motives  clearly  be- 
fore him. 


f~0(3  MEANS    OF    GltACE.  [lECT.  VIII. 

INFERENCES. 

(1.)  We  sec  the  good  tendency  and  absolute 
need  of  the  sinner's  own  attention  to  the  Word  of 
God  and  the  Means  of  Grace,-— of  his  agonizing 
exertions  to  understand  and  gain  realizing  views  of 
revealed  truth.  These  exertions  do  not  indeed 
tend  to  change  his  heart ;  but  if  they  are  earnest 
and  solemn,  and  guided  by  judicious  instructions, 
they  do  tend,  (such  is  the  common  mode  of  divine 
operation,)  to  advance  the  work  of  conviction,  and  ve- 
ry much  in  proportion  to  their  strength.  The  agoni- 
zing reach  to  apprehend  divine  things  which  is  made 
in  prayer,  has  a  better  tendency  than  meditation ; 
meditation  has  a  better  tendency  than  bare  atten- 
tion ;  and  the  slightest  attention  of  mind  has  a 
better  tendency  than  a  vacant  attendance  on 
means.  An  attendance  on  means  with  an  idle, 
wandering  mind,  has  scarcely  any  tendency  at 
all  to  bring  home  a  realizing  sense  of  truth. 
There  is  no  such  spell  in  ordinances  to  con- 
vict a  mind  that  is  roving  in  tlie  ends  of  the 
earth.  There  ought  to  be  as  strong  an  effort  to 
realize  divine  things  as  to  extinguish  the  flames 
which  are  kindling  on  your  house, — as  to  support 
a  rock  that  must  crush  you  in  its  fall.  There  is  no 
more  need  of  strong  efforts  in  these  cases  than  in 
that,  and  without  exertions  approaching  to  this 
character  there  is  absolutely  no  prospect  of  the 
sinner's  salvation.  To  sit  still  without  an  ef- 
fort is  nothing  less  than  putting  the  pistol  to  his 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OP    GRACE.  20J? 

own  breast.  To  neglect  the  Means  of  Grace, 
or  to  attend  on  them  without  a  struggle  to  realize 
divine  things,  is  as  direct  a  way  to  destroy  the  soul, 
(according  to  God^s  usual  mode  of  operation,)  as 
abstinence  from  food  to  destroy  the  body.  The 
only  difference  is,  that  now  and  then  a  sinner  is 
converted  in  an  extraordinary  Avay  without  the  usu- 
al means. 

Say  not,  then,  that  if  you  are  elected  to  be 
saved  you  shall  be  saved,  whether  you  make  exer- 
tions or  not.  There  is  no  such  decree  that  prevents 
the  absolute  dependance  of  the  end  on  the  appoint- 
ed means.  Had  not  Naaman  washed  in  Jordan, 
no  decree  would  have  healed  the  leper.  Had  not 
the  blind  men  sat  by  the  way  side,  no  decree  would 
have  opened  their  eyes.  Had  not  the  impotent  man 
lain  by  the  pool,  no  decree  would  have  made  him 
whole.  Had  not  the  bones  been  within  the  reach 
of  EzekiePs  voice,  no  bodies  would  have  been  or- 
ganized. Had  the  parts  failed  to  come  together, 
"  bone  to  Ids  bone,"  no  life  would  have  been 
infused.  Or  to  illustrate  the  idea  by  a  case 
still  more  in  point,  if  a  man  does  not  open  his 
eyes  he  will  not  see.  If  he  does  not  turn  his  eyes 
towards  the  object,  and  pry  if  it  is  obscure,  he  will 
not  see  it  clearly.  Now  if  it  is  decreed  that  his 
view  of  the  object  shall  be  distinct,  it  is  decreed 
that  these  previous  steps  shall  be  taken,  and  the 
end  is  no  more  certain  than  the  means,  and  will 
certainly  fail  if  they  fail.  If  it  is  certain  that  a 
farmer  will  have  a  crop,  it  is  certain  that  he  will 


&08  MEAXS    OF    GRACE.  [LECT.    VI 11. 

sow  liis  seed.  If  it  is  certain  that  a  man  Avill  live 
to  old  age,  it  is  certain  that  he  will  continue  to  take 
food.  IT  it  is  certain  that  a  man  will  be  glorified, 
equally  so  that  he  will  first  be  justified  ;  if  that  lie 
will  be  justified,  equally  so  that  he  will  be  effectual- 
ly called  5  if  that  he  w  ill  be  effectually  called, 
equally  so  that  he  will  be  convicted  ;  if  that  he  will 
be  convicted,  ninety-nine  times  in  a  hundred  it  is 
equally  certain  that  lie  will  make  the  exertions 
which  have  been  mentioned.  And  to  say  that  if  he 
is  elected  he  shall  be  saved  whether  he  use  means 
or  not,  is  like  saying,  if  it  was  decreed  that  he  should 
live  to  old  age,  lie  will  live  though  he  renounce  food, 
and  would  though  he  had  never  been  born. 

Nothing  then  but  inevitable  destruction  awaits 
those  who  cast  off  fear  and  restrain  prayer,  who 
neglect  the  Means  of  Grace,  or  attend  on  them 
with  a  careless  mind.  Not  a  symptom  appears 
that  such  people  are  ever  to  be  saved,  and  con- 
tinuing thus  they  are  as  certainly  lost  as  there  is  a 
God  in  heaven. 

But  after  ail  this  whole  process  is  only  God  us- 
ing means  with  the  sinner,  and  not  the  sinner  using 
means  with  God.  The  voluntary  agency  of  the 
sinner  must  be  set  in  motion,  and  the  indispensa- 
ble necessity  of  this  may  be  displayed,  to  show  him 
the  madness  of  stupidity  and  to  rouse  his  attention  5 
but  after  all  in  a  moral  point  of  view  his  agency  is  of 
110  account.  The  whole  credit  is  due  to  another.  It 
is  God  that  awakens  his  attention  and  keeps  it  awake. 
It  is  God  pressing  an  unholy  agency  into  service,  as 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  209 

He  did  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh.  The  whole  is  nothing 
but  God  struggling  with  the  sinner,  and  the  sinner 
with  all  his  moral  feelings  struggling  against  God. 
It  is  God  bringing  good  out  of  evil,  and  forciug  the 
selfish  agency  which  is  directed  against  Him  to  pro- 
mote His  merciful  designs.  In  a  word  it  is  God 
using  means  upon  the  sinner,  and  not  the  sinner 
using  means  for  himself.  To  compare  his  unholy 
exertions,  (as  is  often  done,)  to  the  lawful  means 
employed  by  the  husbandman,  is  grossly  deceptive, 
and  tends  only  to  foster  that  self-righteousness 
which  is  the  principal  enemy  to  be  overcome. 
There  is  no  real  resemblance  between  the  two  ca- 
ses. The  sinner  has  never  broken  up  his  u  fallow 
ground  ;*'  he  only  sows  upon  a  rock ;  he  plants 
«  thistles — instead  of  wheat,  and  cockle  instead  of 
barley." 

(2.)  We  see  on  what  account  there  is  more 
hope  of  awakened  sinners  than  of  the  stupid,  and 
more  of  the  convicted  than  of  the  awakened,  and 
more  of  those  who  are  deeply  than  those  who  are 
slightly  convinced.  It  is  not  because  they  have 
done  any  thing  acceptable  to  God,  nor  because  they 
are  interested  in  any  of  His  promises,  nor  because 
they  have  approached  nearer  to  a  holy  temper, 
nor  because  any  of  their  struggles  or  acquisitions 
tend  to  change  their  hearts  ;  but  because  God 
lias  begun  the  preparatory  work,  and  has  thus 
far  advanced  it.  The  more  advanced  it  is,  the 
more  the  evidence  I  hat  He  intends  to  carry  it 
through. 

27 


210  MEAXS    OP    GRACE,  [LECT.  Vlil. 

(3.)     We  see  the  good  tendency  of  preaching 
to  sinners,  and  following  them  with  exhortations 
and  entreaties.    These  exertions  answer  two  ends  : 
First,  to  explain  and  hold  up  truth  before  them. 
It  is  in  vain  for  them  to  turn  their  eye  if  the  object 
is  not  presented.     Secondly,  to  furnish  motives  to 
stimulate  their  attention  to  the  object.     They  cer- 
tainly will  attend  if  sufficient  motives  are  brought 
clearly  to   their  view,   and  they  will  not  attend 
without.     There  is  than  the  same  need   and  the. 
same  encouragement  to  throw  in  motives  as  in  any 
other  case.     One  thought  suggested  by  a  friend 
when  their  attention  begins  to  flag,  may  rouse  it 
again  and  prove  an  essential  link  in  the  chain  of 
their  salvation.     The  thought  would  naturally  sink 
into  their  minds  if  unbelief  did  not  resist ;  but  the 
time  which  the  Spirit  ordinarily  takes  to  counter 
act  that  resistance,  is  when  good  men  are  striving 
to  fix  impressions  upon  their  hearts.     It  is  not  Hi^ 
usual  way  to  send  home  immediate  suggestions,  but 
to  apply  considerations  offered  by  others.     When 
a  solemn  truth  is  laid  before  them  we  never  know 
but  He  may  lodge  it  deep  in  their  conscience.     And 
as  so  much  depends  on  putting  their  agency  into 
action,  and  keeping  it  in  action,  every  thing  that 
can  be  done  ought  to  be  done  for  this   purpose. 
The  success  of  these  efforts  may  be  expected  to 
bear  some  proportion  to  the  nature  and  clearness 
of  the  truths  suggested,  and  to  the  earnestness  and 
address  with  which  they  are  enforced.      There  is 
then  every  encouragement,  and  it  is  of  infinite  im- 


L^T.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  211 

portance,  for  ministers  to  labour  in  season  and  out 
of  season  ;  for  friends  to  speak  often  one  to  another ; 
for  parents  to  teach  and  exhort  their  children  when 
they  sit  in  the  house,  and  when  they  walk  by  the 
way,  when  they  rise  up,  and  when  they  lie  down. 
Had  not  EzekiePs  voice  been  heard  in  the  valley, 
the  bones  would  not  have  lived. 

(4.)     We  learn  from  our  subject  the  manner  in 
which  sinners  ought  to  be  addressed. 

First,  we  see  the  infinite  importance  of  declaring 
to  them  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  comprehend- 
ing all  the  motives  that  can  rouse  their  attention, 
and  all  the  considerations  that  can  affect  their  hearts. 
The  more  plainly  and  fully  the  truth  is  displayed, 
the  greater  the  prospect  of  their  salvation.  It  is' 
not  to  offer  instruction  in  loose  and  general  terms  ; 
it  is  not  to  sketch  the  mere  outlines  of  the  Christian 
doctrine;  it  is  nut  to  deal  out  a  few  scraps  of  mora- 
lity ;  but  particularly  and  clearly  to  lay  open  all 
that  God  has  revealed.  It  is  not  to  ring  perpetu- 
al changes  on  a  few  party  shibboleths, — a  few  ab- 
stract doctrines  ;  we  must  present  the  objects  of 
religion  in  all  their  affecting  attitudes  ;  we  must 
display  the  truths  of  God  in  all  their  pungency  and 
point,  and  pour  all  the  motives  of  Christianity  up- 
on the  heart.     This  leads  me  to  say, 

Secondly,  we  have  as  much  encouragement  as 
in  any  other  case  to  use  an  interesting,  impressive 
manner,  (the  manner  adapted  to  the  nature  of 
man,)  as  being  calculated  not  only  to  waken  atten- 
tion, but  to  seize  all  the  natural  avenues  to  the 


%i%  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [LECT.  VIII. 

soul.  Such  is  the  coincidence  between  the  su- 
pernatural and  natural  order  of  divine  operations, 
that  this  manner  promises  by  far  the  greatest 
success. 

Thirdly,  we  learn  the  importance  of  urging  up- 
on sinners  the  duty  of  immediate  submission,  as 
best  calculated  both  to  rouse  their  highest  attention, 
and  to  present  to  their  view  the  most  powerful  and 
direct  means  of  conviction.  The  only  end  of  preach- 
ing to  that  class  of  men  is  to  produce  attention,  and 
through  that,  conviction, — conviction,  in  the  first 
place,  of  their  obligations,  guilt,  obstinacy,  help- 
lessness, and  perishing  need  of  a  Saviour,  and  then, 
of  the  truths  relating  to  the  Saviour  and  the  way  of 
acceptance  by  Him.  The  first  thing,  besides  exci- 
ting some  degree  of  attention,  is  to  lay  open  their 
obligations.  From  this  results  a  sense  of  guilt. 
From  a  view  of  their  obligations  and  reluctance 
arises  a  conviction  of  obstinacy,  helplessness,  and 
ruin.  From  the  whole  follows  a  deep  apprehen- 
sion of  their  need  of  a  Saviour ;  and  that  is  sure  to 
produce  the  highest  state  of  attention.  The  begin- 
ning of  the  whole  process,  (except  a  partial  exci- 
tation of  the  attention,)  is  to  awaken  a  sense  of  obli- 
gation. Now  the  foundation  of  all  sense  of  obliga- 
tion must  be  laid  in  a  view  of  the  claims  of  the 
moral  Governour  of  the  world, — claims  not  at  all 
impaired  by  the  indisposition  of  man.  And  what 
are  His  claims  ?  He  "  now  commandeth  all  men 
every  icJiere  to  reyent."  "  Now,  saith  the  Lord, 
turn    ye   even   to   me   with   all  your  heart,   and 


LECT.  VIII.]  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  $13 

with  fasting,  and  with  weeping,  and  with  mourn- 
ing ;  and  rend  your  heart  and  not  your  garment, 
and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God."  u  Submit 
yourselves — to  God; — cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sin- 
ners, and  purify  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded."' 
If  such  are  the  claims  of  God,  and  such  obligations 
really  lie  upon  sinners,  the  readiest  way  to  make 
them  feel  their  obligations  is  to  urge  them  to  the 
immediate  performance  of  these  duties.  If  they 
ought  to  repent  without  delay,  then  the  readiest 
way  to  make  them  feel  what  they  owe  is  to  urge 
them  to  immediate  repentance ;  and  this  will  at 
once  show  them  their  reluctance,  obstinacy,  and 
ruin.  That  they  will  not  yield  to  this  requisition 
is  no  objection  to  its  being  urged.  God  never  sent 
the  Gospel  with  an  expectation  that  it  would  of  it- 
self conquer  the  hearts  of  men,  but  by  opening  to 
them  His  character  and  claims  to  convince  them  of 
their  ruin  and  need  of  a  Saviour.  And  which,  I 
ask,  has  the  most  tendency  to  produce  this  convic- 
tion, to  exhort  them  to  a  mere  use  of  means,  or  to 
press  upon  them  their  full  obligations  to  God  ?  If 
you  would  thoroughly  convince  them  of  their  guilt, 
hardness,  and  helplessness,  you  must  not  lower  down 
their  obligations  to  a  few  outward  observances, 
while  you  leave  them  ignorant  of  God's  high  and 
holy  claims  ;  you  must  set  the  standard  high.  If 
you  tell  them  to  do  the  best  they  can,  (in  other  words, 
the  best  that  they  are  disposed  to  do,)  that  they 
will  easily  perform,  and  in  the  trial  find  no  evi- 

*  Joel  ii.  12,  13.     Acts  xvii.  30.    James  iv.. 7,  8, 


311  MEANS    OF    GRACE.  [LEG  i.   Viii, 

dence  of  (be  stubbornness  of  their  hearts.  That 
they  will  easily  perform,  and  then  yield  to  the 
strong  propensity  of  nature  to  sleep  upon  the  pillow' 
of  self- righteousness.  This  is  not  the  way  to  bring 
sinners  to  the  foot  of  the  cross  :  nor  is  it  the  rea- 
diest way,  as  abundant  experience  testifies,  to  secure 
even  an  attention  to  means.  Uncover  all  their  ob- 
ligations if  you  would  drive  them  to  their  knees, — 
if  you  would  compel  them  to  the  sanctuary  and  their 
Bibles.  But  you  say,  Why  exhort  sinners  to  do 
what  you  know  they  will  not  do  without  a  con- 
straining impulse  ?  I  answer  :  if  this  is  not  al- 
lowed, we  may  not  even  urge  them  to  a  serious 
use  of  means.  But  the  fact  is  that  God  never 
sent  forth  His  ministers  to  exhort  sinners  to  do 
what  they  will  do  of  themselves,  but  to  urge  upon 
them  what  He  knew  they  never  would  perform 
without  His  constraining  power.  Thus  He  sent 
Ezekiel  to  say,  "  Dry  bones,  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord,"  when  He  knew  that  the  bones  would  never 
hear  without  His  supernatural  interposition.  And 
this  command  was  a  sufficient  warrant  and  en- 
couragement to  the  prophet.  If  He  should. bid  me 
go  and  preach  to  the  dead  in  yonder  grave-yard,  I 
would  go.  With  no  other  encouragement  I  now 
stand  over  this  valley  of  the  slain,  and  say  to  the 
dead  of  my  people  and  kindred,  Come  out  of  your 
graves,  ye  bones  that  are  ••'  very  dry."  "  Awake, 
thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and 
Christ  shall  give  thee  light."     Amen. 


LECTURE  IX. 


ELECTION. 


EPHESIANS  I.  4,  5. 

ACCORDING  AS  HE  HATII  CHOSEN  US  IS  HIM  BEFOIIE  THE  FOUNDATION  OF 
THE  WORLD,  THAT  WE  SHOULD  BE  HOLY  AND  WITHOUT  BLAME  DKFORE 
kOf  IN  1.0 VE  ;  HATING  PREDESTINATED  US  UNTO  THE  ADOPTION  OF 
• MILDREN  BY  JESUS  CHRIST  TO  HIMSELF,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  GOOD 
PJ.EASLUE    OF     HIS    WILL. 

It  has  been  proved  in  former  Lectures  that 
men  by  nature  are  destitute  of  holiness,  are  su- 
premely selfish  and  enemies  of  God,  and  so  re- 
main, without  any  approach  toward  sanctiflcation, 
without  any  abatement  of  their  enmity,  without  any 
feelings  or  actions  otherwise  than  sinful  or  indif- 
ferent, without  any  prayers  that  God  will  hear, 
without  any  thing  that  tends  to  a  change  of  heart, 
until  the  very  moment  of  Regeneration  ;  that  the 
work  of  conviction  in  every  case  is  carried  on  just 
as  far  as  God  pleases,  the  cooperation  of  the  sin- 
ner to  that  extent  being  secured  by  the  controlling 
influence  of  motives  ;  that  Regeneration  is  produ- 
ced by  the  supernatural  and  immediate  power  of 
God,  unaided  and  uninduced  by  the  sinner,  and 
notwithstanding  his  unabated  resistance  to  t\n\  last; 


216  ELECTION*.  [LECT.    IX. 

tliat  in  every  instance  where  this  power  is  exerted 
Regeneration  follows ;  that  of  course  it  is  exerted 
upon  some  and  not  upon  others, — not  because  the 
favoured  ones  have  better  improved  antecedent 
grace,  or  have  been  more  ready  to  yield,  or  have 
induced  or  aided  God,  but  because  He  "  will  have 
mercy  on  whom"  He  "will  have  mercy;"  that  He 
makes  one  to  differ  from  another  according  to  His 
sovereign  pleasure,  for  no  other  assignable  reason 
than  "Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight."  All  this,  I  must  believe,  has  been  pro- 
ved;  audit  completely  establishes  the  doctrine  of 
Election,  except  so  far  as  relates  to  the  eternal 
decree. 

Now  if  God  performs  all  His  works  from  de- 
sign, and  is  unchangeable,  the  fact  of  the  eternal 
decree  is  readily  established.  The  theory  of  de- 
crees is  simply  this  :  Whatever  God  does  He 
always  meant  to  do.  Whatever  He  accom- 
plishes by  positive  power,  He  always  meant  to  ac- 
complish ;  whatever  He  permits,  He  always  meant 
to  permit.  This  must  be  true  if  He  acts  from  de- 
sign and  is  unchangeable.  For  example,  if  He 
creates  a  world  to-day,  and  does  it  designedly,  He 
always  had  the  same  design,  or  else  He  has  formed 
a  new  purpose,  and  is  changeable.  If  He  produces 
a  new  heart  to-day,  and  does  it  designedly,  He  al- 
ways had  the  same  design,  or  else  He  has  formed 
a  new  purpose,  and  is  changeable.  If  He  makes 
one  to  differ  from  another  to  day,  and  does  it  de- 
signedly, He  always  intended  to  make  that  dis- 


l.ECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  ^17 

crimination,  or  else  He  lias  formed  a  new  purpose, 
and  is  changeable. 

The  fact  that  whatever  God  does  He  always 
meant  to  do,  may  be  argued  also  from  His  fore- 
knowledge. Hid  He  eternally  foreknow  that  He 
should  create  a  world  ?  How  did  He  foreknow  it? 
He  knew  that  no  one  could  compel  Him :  if  He  had 
not  determined  to  do  it, — if  the  purpose  was  unset- 
tled in  His  mind, — if  His  resolution  was  wavering, 
how  did  He  certainly  know  that  He  should  cre- 
ate? Did  He  eternally  foreknow  that  He  should 
change  that  heart  to-day  ?  How  did  He  foreknow 
it  ?  He  knew  that  no  one  could  compel  Him  : 
If  He  had  not  determined  to  produce  this  change, 
— if  the  purpose  was  unsettled  in  His  mind, — if 
His  resolution  was  wavering,  how  did  He  know 
that  He  certainly  should  do  it  ? 

Take  the  subject  in  another  view.  He  fore- 
knew that  He  should  of  His  own  accord  make 
a  world.  On  that  event  He  deliberately  held 
His  eye  from  eternity.  And  could  He  eternally 
foresee  a  voluntary  act  of  His  own,  and  have 
no  choice  or  design  about  it  ?  Could  you  fore- 
see that  you  should  voluntarily  take  a  journey 
at  a  given  time,  and  yet  have  no  choice  or  de- 
sign about  the  event  ?  Is  it  possible  to  conceive 
that  God  should  eternally  have  foreknown,  that  of 
His  own  free  consent  and  choice  He  should  make 
one  to  differ  from  another,  should  change  one  heart 
and  leave  another  unchanged,  and  yet  eternally 
kave  had  no  purpose  or  choice  about  it  ?  I  must 
38 


21S  ELECTION.  [LECT. IX. 

assume  it  then  as  a  point  about  which  no  doubt  can 
exist,  that  whatever  He  foresaw  that  He  Himself 
should  voluntarily  do,  He  always  meant  to  do. 

The  only  question  is,  What  does  God  perform  ? 
What  does  He  accomplish  by  positive  power?  what 
does  He  permit  ?  If  it  is  a  fact  that  He  changes 
one  sinner,  and  permits  another  to  take  his  course 
to  ruin,  He  always  intended  to  do  the  same.  If  it 
is  not  a  fact  that  He  makes  these  discriminations, 
then  to  be  sure  He  never  intended  to  make  them. 
The  question  wholly  turns  on  what  He  actually 
does, — whether  in  Regeneration  He  really  does 
more  for  one  than  another.  If  He  does  not,  and 
the  sinner  makes  himself  to  differ,  the  doctrine  of 
Election  falls.  But  if  God  actually  makes  these  dis- 
criminations between  men,  (agreeably  to  the  proofs 
adduced  in  the  foregoing  Lectures,)  then  the  doc- 
trine of  Election,  including  the  eternal  decree,  fol- 
lows with  mathematical  certainty. 

And  what  special  difficulty  arises  from  the  de- 
cree P  Is  it  contrary  to  human  freedom  ?,  But  the 
decree  touches  no  man  till  it  is  executed.  No  de- 
cree to  make  Peter  to  differ  from  Judas  affected 
either  of  them  till  one  was  taken  and  the  other  left. 
If  while  this  was  done  both  remained  free,  certainly 
their  freedom  was  not  impaired  by  the  previous 
purpose.  If  liberty  is  infringed  it  is  not  infringed 
by  the  decree,  but  by  the  discriminating  act  at  the 
time  of  Regeneration.  But  if  God  can  actually 
change  one  heart  and  leave  another  unchanged 
without  destroying  freedom,  certainly  His  eternal 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  3H) 

purpose  to  do  this  could  not  destroy  it.  What 
special  difficulty  then  arises  from  the  decree?  ]s 
it  against  the  divine  character  P  But  it  cannot  he 
wrong  to  purpose  what  it  is  right  to  perform.  If  it 
is  proper  to  do  an  act,  it  is  not  improper  to  resolve. 
to  do  it.  If  it  is  right  to  change  one  heart  and  leave 
another  unchanged,  the  eternal  decree  to  make  this 
discrimination  was  right. 

The  doctrine  of  Election,  thus  necessarily  de- 
duced from  that  of  Regeneration,  is  abundantly 
supported  by  the  Word  of  God.  There  we  are 
distinctly  taught  that  God  eternally  elected  a  part 
of  mankind,  not  on  account  of  their  foreseen  holi- 
ness, \mt  to  holiness  itself.  "According  as  He 
hath  chosen  us  in  Him,  [in  Christ,]  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  ho- 
ly   AND    WITHOUT    BLAME    BEFORE    HlM    IN    LOVE; 

having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  chil- 
dren by  Jesus  Christ  to  Himself,  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  His  will ;  to  the  praise  of  the  glo- 
ry of  His  grace,  wherein  He  hath  made  us  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved  ; — having  made  known  to 
us  the  mystery  of  His  will,  according  to  His  good 
pleasure  which  He  hath  purposed  in  Himself;  that 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  He  might 
gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,  even 
in  Him  :  in  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inhe- 
ritance, being  predestinated  according  to  the  pur- 
pose of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  His  own  tcill  ;  that  we  should  be  to  the 
praise  of  His  glory.— -For  we  rue  [{is  workman- 


220  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

ship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  ivories , 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we 
should  walk  in  them."  "  God  hath  from  the 
beginning  chosen  us  to  salvation,  through  sanc- 

TIFICATION    OF    THE    SPIRIT    AND     BELIEF     OF    THE 

truth."  "  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us 
with   a    holy   calling,   not    according    to    our 

WORKS,  BUT  ACCORDING  TO  IIlS  OWN  PURPOSE  AND 
GRACE,    WHICH    WAS    GIVEN    US    IN     C'HRIST     JeSUS 

before  the  would  began."  "For  the  children 
being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  goody 
or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  Elec- 
tion might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  Him  that 
calleth,  it  was  said  unto  her,  the  elder  shall  serve 
the  younger  ;  as  it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved, 
bin  Esau  have  I  hated."  "  Whom  he  did  pre- 
destinate, THEM  HE  ALSO  CALLED."  "  As  MANY 
AS  WERE  ORDAINED  TO   ETERNAL   LIFE    BELIEVED/" 

"  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and 
ordained  you,    that    you  should  go  and  bring 

FORTH  FRUIT,  AND  THAT  YOUR  FRUIT  SHOULD  RE- 
MAIN." 

There  are  many  passages  in  which  Election  ib 
asserted  in  more  general  terms,  without  the  ex- 
press idea  of  its  being  au  appointment  to  sanctiji- 
cation.  "  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath, 
but  to  obtain  salvation  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;" 
"  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  which  He  pur- 
posed in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord/'  "  Many  are  call- 
ed, but  few  are  chosen."  "  To  sit  on  my  right  hand 
and  on  my  left  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  it  shall  be 
given  to  them  for'  rchom  it  is  prepared  of  my  Fa- 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  221 

liter."  "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world."  In  the  commencement  of  a  Christian 
church  at  Corinth,  God  looked  on  the  pagan  in- 
habitants and  said  to  Paul  for  his  encouragement. 
"  I  have  much  people  in  this  city." 

In  the  ages  of  eternity  a  covenant  was  formed 
between  the  Persons  of  the  Sacred  Trinity,  (com- 
monly called  tiie  covenant  of  Redemption.)  in 
which  the  Father  made  over  to  the  Son  a  definite 
number  of  the  human  race  as  the  reward  of  His 
obedience  "  unto  death,"  and  caused  their  names, 
(whatever  it  means,)  to  be  "written"  in  the  Lamb's 
"book  of  life."  The  vail  was  partly  drawn  from 
this  transaction  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets, 
where  many  promises  in  the  form  of  an  oath  were 
held  up  as  made  to  Christ;  such  as  that  His  tin  one 
should  be  established,  that  He  should  have  the 
heathen  for  His  inheritance,  that  He  should  see  of 
the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be  satisfied,  that  His  seed 
should  endure  forever.  But  in  the  New  Testament 
this  ancient  covenant  is  entirely  laid  open.  There 
we  distinctly  learn  that  the  faith  and  hope  of  God's 
elect  are  founded  on  a  promise  of  eternal  life  made 
before  the  world  began:  "Paul, — an  apostle  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  according  to  the  faith  of  God's  elect, — 
in  hope  of  eternal  life,  which  God  that  cannot  lie 
promised  before  the  world  began."  Promised 
to  whom  ?  Not  to  creatures,  for  they  were  not  in 
existence  ;  to  Christ  doubtless.  And  for  the  par- 
ticular portion  of  the  human  race  who  were  respec- 
ted in  this  covenant,  the  Mediator  in  a  special  sense 


2£2  ELECTION.  [eECT.  IX. 

laid  down  His  life  :  "  I  lay  clown  my  life  for  the 
ikeep."  Who  were  the  sheep?  The  very  seed 
whom  the  Father  had  given  Him  in  the  everlasting 
covenant,  including  as  well  those  who  were  pagans 
or  unborn  at  the  time  this  declaration  was  made,  as 
those  who  were  believers  or  had  gone  to  glory ; 
to  the  whole  of  wrhom  salvation  was  absolutely  secu- 
red. "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me  ;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  which 
gave  them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able 
to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."  Elect 
Gentiles  were  counted  for  sheep  before  their  con- 
version :  "  And  other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not 
of  this  fold  ;  them  also  /  must  bring,  and  they  shall 
bear  my  voice."  It  is  explicitly  asserted  that  the 
identical  persons  wbo  w  ere  given  to  Christ  shall  all 
come  to  Him  by  faith,  and  shall  all  persevere  to 
eternal  life  :  "  Thou  hast  given  Him  power  over  all 
flesh,  that  He  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many 

AS    THOU    HAST     GIVEN     HIM."         "  ALL    THAT    THE 

Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me,  and  him 
that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. — And 
this  is  the  Father's  will, — that  of  all  which 

HE  HATH  GIVEN  ME  I  SHOULD  LOSE  NOTHING,  BUT 
SHOULD  RAISE    IT   UP   AGAIN    AT    THE    LAST  DAY.'"* 

*  Ps.  ii.  7,  3.  and  Ixxxix.  3,  4,  19—37.  Isai.  liii.  10—12.  Mat.  xx. 
23.  and  xxii.  14.  and  xxv.  34.  John  vi.  37,  39.  and  x.  1 — 29.  and  xv.  16. 
and  xvii.  2.  Acts  xiii.  48.  and  xviii.  10.  Rom.viii.  30,  and  ix.  11 — 13. 
Eph.  L  4—12.  and  ii.  10.  and  iii.  11.  1  Thes.  v.  9.  2Thes.  ii.  13. 
.:  Tim.  i.  9.     Tit.  i.  1,  2.     Rev.  xiii.  8. 


J.ECT.    IX.]  ELECTION.  233 

It  would  be  easy  to  multiply  texts  ;  but  if  the 
numerous  and  explicit  declarations  which  have 
been  quoted  are  not  sufficient  to  produce  conviction, 
a  thousand  others  would  not.  Indeed  if  such  per- 
emptory and  often  repeated  assertions  of  the  Word 
of  God  are  not  believed,  what  is  your  faith  in  divine 
Revelation  ?  Here  I  rest  my  cause, — and  without 
searching  for  further  proof,  shall  only  attempt,  in 
the  remaining  part  of  the  Lecture,  to  explain  the 
doctrine  and  vindicate  it  against  objections. 

.Suppose  ten  subjects  of  an  earthly  prince  are 
under  sentence  of  death  for  treason,  and  are  con- 
lined  in  two  separate  cells,  five  in  one  and  five  in 
the  other.  They  have  all  forfeited  their  lives,  and 
if  they  are  all  executed  no  injustice  will  be  done 
them.  The  prince,  a  most  wise  and  benevolent 
man,  sees  however  that  it  will  promote  the  happi- 
ness of  his  immense  empire  for  five  to  be  pardoned 
and  five  executed,  and  for  the  whole  to  be  brought 
about  in  a  way  most  clearly  to  illustrate  both  his 
justice  and  mercy.  He  settles  in  his  mind  what  he 
himself  will  do,  and  being  a  prophet  foresees  the 
conduct  of  the  prisoners.  With  every  part  of  the 
issue  full  in  his  view,  he  collects  thousands  of  his 
subjects  to  witness  the  transaction,  and  repairs  to 
the  prison.  He  orders  the  bolts  and  bars  to 
be  removed  from  the  first  cell,  the  door  to  be 
thrown  wide  open,  and  the  chains  to  be  struck  off. 
"Now,"  says  he,  "  unhappy  men,  I  have  put  it  in 
your  power  to  come  forth.  No  bars  or  chains  con- 
fine you.     If  you  will  approach  and  kneel  before 


324?  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

me,  and  confess  your  crime,  and  implore  forgive- 
ness, and  submit  to  my  government,  I  will  pardon 
you,  and  raise  you  to  my  throne."  "We  cannot 
do  it,"  say  they.  "  Cannot !  the  door  is  open, 
and  the  chains  are  off;  what  hinders?"  "  We 
humble  ourselves  at  your  feet  as  criminals,  and 
sue  for  pardon  !  we  will  die  first.  We  were  op- 
pressed, and  have  only  made  an  effort  to  support 
our  rights."  The  prince  expostulates  and  pleads 
with  them,  but  they  still  refuse.  He  then  appeals 
to  the  spectators  :  "Do /cause  the  death  of  these 
unhappy  men?"  Every  voice  firmly  answers  JV*o. 
"Are  they  not  free  in  their  refusal?"  The  whole 
multitude  testify  that  they  are.  "  Can  more  be  ex- 
pected from  me  P"  Nothing  more,  is  the  universal 
response.  "  Will  not  their  blood  be  upon  their 
own  heads?"  Upon  their  own  heads  forever,  says 
the  common  sense  of  a  world.  He  bars  their  pri- 
son and  orders  them  to  execution.  He  then  goes 
to  the  second  cell,  throws  open  the  door,  strikes 
off  the  chains,  and  offers  pardon  to  the  other  five 
on  the  same  conditions.  They  also  refuse.  He  ex- 
postulates and  pleads  with  them.  They  still  refuse. 
He  then  appeals  to  the  spectators,  and  receives 
the  same  answers.  Thus  far  the  cases  are  paral- 
lel. Now  we  will  suppose  that  the  prince  possess- 
es power  by  laying  his  hand  on  the  prisoners  to 
melt  them  into  submission.  He  lavs  his  hand  on 
them  :  they  fall  at  his  feet,  accept  of  pardon,  and 
are  raised  to  his  throne.  No  act  of  their  lives  was 
more  free,  for  they  submitted  willingly  and 


LKCT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  225 

with  all  their  heart.  Afterwards  the  prince  informs 
the  people  that  he  had  foreseen  the  whole  event, 
and  had  determined  on  the  course  he  should  pur- 
sue, before  he  left  the  palace ;  that  in  the  discri- 
mination which  he  had  made  he  had  been  influen- 
ced only  by  a  regard  for  the  happiness  of  his  em- 
pire; and  that  to  have  subdued  the  first  five  would 
have  marred  the  publick  good.  Now  I  ask,  what 
have  you  to  allege  against  that  prince?  If  the 
publick  good  required  just  that  exhibition  of  justice 
and  mercy,  would  you'  not  have  blamed  him  had 
he  done  otherwise  ?  Who  was  injured  ?  Not 
those  who  perished ;  they  only  had  their  deserts  : 
nor  were  they  injured  by  the  mercy  shown  to  the 
rest.  In  a  case  where  all  had  forfeited  their  lives, 
had  not  the  prince  a  right  to  reclaim  and  pardon 
whom  he  would  ?  to  select  that  number,  and  those 
individuals,  whose  deliverance  would  most  promote 
the  happiness  of  his  kingdom  ?  Whose  freedom 
did  he  impair?  Whom  did  he  defraud?  Whom 
did  he  compel  to  die  ?  Nay,  as  justice  to  his  king- 
dom would  not  allow  him  forolblij  to  reclaim  the 
whole,  the  prisoners  themselves  compelled  him 
either  to  abandon  them  all  to  their  fate,  or  to  make 
the  discrimination  which  he  did.  Had  they  yield- 
ed of  their  own  accord,  as  they  ought  to  have  done, 
he  would  have  had  no  occasion  to  do  more  for 
one  than  another.  But  as  it  was,  he  must  discrimi- 
nate or  resign  them  all  to  destruction.  Now  if  his 
conduct  at  the  prison  was  right,  what  have  you 
to  Allege  against  his  previous  jrurjwse  P  Was  it 
$9 


226  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

wrong  to  determine  to  do  a  right  thing?  And  how 
could  the  prisoners  he  injured  hy  the  mere  design? 
They  were  not  at  all  affected  hy  what  was  devised  in 
the  palace,  but  only  hy  Avhat  was  done  at  the  prison. 
As  I  understand  the  doctrine  of  Election,  this  is 
an  exact  illustration  of  it.  Mankind  received  from 
the  hand  of  God  full  powers  to  obey  Him.  They 
sinned,  and  forfeited  their  lives,  and  were  like  pri- 
soners condemned  to  die.  The  atonement  opened 
all  their  prisons,  and  struck  off  all  their  chains. 
The  invitation  is  sent  to  all.  All  possess  natural 
ability  to  comply,  (as  will  be  distinctly  shown  in 
the  next  Lecture ;)  but  all  refuse.  They  are  en- 
treated, but  they  still  refuse.  At  this  point  Elec- 
tion comes  in.  It  is  their  own  fault  that  there  is 
any  need  of  a  divine  interposition.  This  necessity 
they,  and  not  God,  created.  They  ought  to  com- 
ply of  their  own  accord,  and  not  wait  to  be  com- 
pelled. They  are  able,  but  "  will  not."  Not  a 
child  of  Adam  will.  The  whole  race  will  refuse 
till  they  die,  unless  subdued  by  divine  power, — 
not  because  they  are  too  feeble,  but  because  they 
are  so  had.  This  universal  obstinacy,  which  alone 
renders  a  divine  interposition  necessary,  obliges 
God  to  decide — whether  to  save  all,  or  save  none, 
or  subdue  such  a  part  as  His  wisdom  sees  best. 
He  cannot  save  all  consistently  with  the  good  of 
the  universe.  His  compassion  will  not  allow  Him 
to  abandon  all  to  destruction.  The  only  choice 
left  Him  is  to  conquer  whom  He  will.  This  neces- 
sity, not  He,  but  the  obstinacy  of  sinners  created. 


JLFXT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  227 

It  grows,  not  out  of  their  inability,  but  out  of  their 
desperate  wickedness.  He  forces  none  to  hell, 
they  go  of  their  own  accord  ;  He  only  forces  as 
it  were  a  part  to  heaven.  And  this  He  does 
for  as  many  as  the  interest  of  the  universe  will 
permit.  The  rest  are  left  untouched,  unshack- 
led, to  pursue  their  own  chosen  way, — with  full 
power  to  live,  but  choosing  death  rather  than 
life.  And  now,  after  salvation  is  provided  for 
them,  and  offered  to  them,  and  is  obstinately  re- 
fused, does  it  become  them  to  throw  the  blame  on 
God,  and  complain  that  He  created  them  to  be. 
damned  P  He  did  not  create  them  to  be  damned. 
He  created  them  to  be  saved;  and  they  have  "sold" 
their  "  birth-right"  for  a  contemptible  mess  of 
"  pottage."  The  truth  is,  He  foresaw  them  in  ex- 
istence, and  actually  refusing,  before  He  had  an 
opportunity  to  decide  whether  to  subdue  them  or 
not.  In  the  order  of  nature  the  discriminating  de- 
cree followed  their  refusal,  as  the  two  eternally  lay 
in  the  divine  mind.  And  in  its  execution  the  de- 
cree does  not  touch  them  till  after  they  have  existed 
and  refused.  In  both  views  the  discrimination  is 
to  be  considered  as  following  their  refusal,  and  not 
as  preceding  their  existence. 

Hitherto  1  have  treated  the  subject  in  conformi- 
ty to  the  common  apprehension,  that  succession  and 
the  relations  of  before  and  after  are  predicable  of 
the  divine  existence.  To  this  apprehension  the 
language  of  Scripture  is  also  accommodated.  But 
the  objection  last  started,  and  many  other  difficulties, 


228  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX, 

will  be  more  effectually  obviated  by  recurring  to 
the  real  mode  of  God's  existence.  To  Him  eterni- 
ty is  but  one  moment.  He  knows  no  lapse  of  time, 
and  except  what  relates  to  the  order  of  nature,  no 
before  or  after.  All  to  Him  is  eternal  now.  On  the 
scale  of  creatures  there  is  indeed  a  before  and  after. 
To  them  the  execution  of  His  decrees  is  in  succes 
sion.  To  them  an  eternal  decree  is  a  ^^-deter- 
mination. Not  so  with  Him.  With  Him  the  ex- 
istence of  creatures  was  as  early  as  the  decree. 
"With  Him  the  purpose  and  the  execution  are  in 
the  same  moment.  His  eternal  decree  is  nothing 
but  a  design  existing  in  one  eternal  Now, — is  no- 
thing but  a  present  purpose  eternally  the  same.* 
Were  it  perfectly  easy  for  us  to  conceive  of  this 
mode  of  His  being,  we  could  readily  see  that  the 
existence  and  refusal  of  men  stand  before  the  dis- 
criminating decree,   (I  speak  of  the  order  of  na- 

*  "  How  can  this  be,"  says  the  objector,  "  that  the  existence  of  God 
is  in  one  eternal  Now  ?  Fifty  years  ago  He  did  not  see  me  ex- 
isting at  that  time,  and  now  He  sees  me  to  exist :  must  not  then  His 
views  be  successive  ?"  Now  this  is  taking  for  granted  what  the  ob- 
jector ought  to  prove,  that  the  time  which  to  creatures  passed  fifty 
years  ago,  and  the  present,  are  two  distinct  periods  with  God.  He 
indeed  perceives  the  scale  on  which  creatures  reckon  time,  and  sees 
them  lying  along  on  that  scale  at  different  points  ;  but  His  eternal 
Now  stands  equally  opposite,  if  I  may  so  say,  to  every  part  of  the 
scale.  That  this  is  His  real  mode  of  existence,  is  capable  of  all  the 
proof  that  such  a  subject  admits.  The  idea  of  an  eternal  succession 
of  views  and  exercises,  involves  all  the  absurdity  of  an  infinite  number. 
It  implies  also  imperfection  of  knowledge,  as  it  supposes  a  constant 
accession  of  new  ideas, — and  mutability,  as  it  supposes  a  continual 
change.  "  But  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one 
day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as 
one  day."    (2  Pet.  iii.  8.) 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  BS9 

tare,  the  order  of  time  is  excluded,) — stand  before 
the  decree,  as  they  are  arranged  in  the  divine  mind  ; 
that  He  sees  men  existing  and  refusing  before  He 
determines,  or  has  an  opportunity  to  determine, 
whether  to  subdue  them  or  not ;  and  that  Election 
amounts  only  to  this, — He  finds  men  in  existence 
and  refusing  His  grace,  and  then  determines 
whom  to  conquer,  and  whom  to  leave  uninflu- 
enced. But  when  you  talk  of  His  creating  them 
to  be  damned,  you  put  the  discrimination  before 
their  existence,  as  the  two  lie  together  in  the  divine 
mind. 

That  which  ^  creatures  is  p'e-destination,  is  to 
God  only  a  present  purpose.  It  comes  out  then 
at  last,  that  the  decision  made  in  Election  is 
only  the  decision  of  Hi\$  present  will,  existing  the 
same  from  eternity  to  eternity.  The  doctrine  of 
Election,  thus  disentangled  from  our  crude  concep- 
tions, amounts  only  to  this :  it  depends  on  the  pre- 
sent decision  of  God,  not  whether  salvation  shall 
be  provided  for  sinners,  for  Christ  died  for  all, — 
not  whether  pardon  shall  be  offered  to  them,  for  it 
is  offered  without  money  and  without  price, — not 
whether  they  shall  have  power  to  accept,  for  they 
are  abundantly  able ;  but,  when  they  obstinately 
refuse,  whether  He  will  make  them  "  willing  in 
the  day  of  [His]  power."  If  they  will  not  repent, 
but  lay  Him  under  a  necessity  to  compel  them 
or  leave  them  to  perish,  pray  give  Him  the 
common  liberty  of  a  man.  to  choose  for  Him- 
self whether  to  actor  not.      Allow  Him  the  free- 


230  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

clom  not  denied  to  slaves,  to  determine  whether  to 
bestow  or  withhold  a  free  gift.  What  difficulty 
then  remains  ?  But  I  hold  you  to  facts.  You 
know,  at  this  moment,  that  it  does  depend  on  His 
present  will  whether  you  shall  ever  have  a  new 
heart.  This  is  a  matter  of  fact  which  you  will  not 
deny.  Well  Election  amounts  to  nothing  more, — 
with  this  single  addition,  that  His  present  will  is 
the  will  of  one  eternal  now. 

When  men  are  anxious  and  uncertain  about 
their  salvation,  they  are  apt  in  their  approaches  to 
God  to  conceive  of  an  old  constitution  which  binds 
His  hands,  and  leaves  Him  no  liberty  to  follow  His 
present  choice, — or  of  an  old  catalogue,  in  which  if 
their  names  do  not  happen  to  be  found,  He  can- 
not save  them  if  He  will.  But  this  is  a  crude  con- 
ception. There  is  no  constitution,  or  catalogue, 
or  decree,  which  to  Him  is  old.  The  world  is  now 
governed  by  His  present  will,  just  as  though  His 
purposes  were  all  formed  to-day, — just  as  though 
He  now  began  to  be.  If  He  has  now  a  wish  to 
change  your  heart,  there  is  no  ancient  decree  to 
prevent.  It  is  His  present  will  that  must  decide 
your  fate.     On  that  alone  you  are  cast. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  I  infer  that  Elec- 
tion ought  not  to  be  regarded  as  any  discourage- 
ment to  prayer.  It  is  only  because  the  vulgar  no- 
tion of  succession  in  God  is  always  intruding,  bring- 
ing with  it  the  phantom  of  a  decree  which  to  Him 
is  old,  that  this  doctrine  has  ever  been  thought  to 
interfere  with  our  encouragements  to  pray.     And 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  231 

indeed  if  there  was  on  old  decree,  or  constitution, 
or  catalogue,  which  bound  His  hands,  it  would  ho 
in  vain  to  apply  to  His  present  will.  But  no  such 
ancient  statute  has  barred  the  door  of  access.  The 
way  is  now  as  open  to  His  very  heart  as  though  He- 
began  to  exist  to-day.  Nor  is  it  inconsistent  with 
His  unchangeableness  that  He  should  be  really  af- 
fected by  prayer.  If,  agreeably  to  the  literal  con- 
struction  of  His  Word,  the  prayers  which  arc  now 
offered  really  affect  His  heart,  it  only  proves  that 
as  they  have  eternally  lain  before  Him,  they  have 
eternally  and  unchangeably  affected  His  heart,  If 
then  you  can  now  present  prayers  fit  to  be  regarded 
on  Christ's  account  by  infinite  purity  and  com- 
passion, there  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  His  being 
as  readily  affected  by  them  as  any  father  is  by  the 
cries  of  his  suffering  children.  He  has  a  heart 
easily  touched  with  the  voice  of  penitent  distress, 
from  whatever  quarter  it  comes.  His  infinite  ten- 
derness, His  readiness  to  listen  to  every  sigh  of  a 
broken  heart  offered  through  His  Son,  is  a  truth  in 
which  all  His  mercy  is  involved, — for  which  all 
His  perfections  stand  pledged.  This  blessed  truth 
it  is  your  duty  to  believe,  (without  any  gloomy  ex- 
ception against  yourself,)  as  firmly  as  you  believe 
your  existence.  Your  sense  of  it,  your  confidence 
in  it,  cannot  be  raised  too  high.  This  very  confi- 
dence is  the  greatest,  the  most  difficult,  the  most 
essential  effort  of  faith.  Give  it  full  scope,  it  can- 
not go  too  far.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  in  Election 
to  depress  its  flights.     Election  only  touches  the 


23£  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

question  whether  you  shall  be  constrained  to  feel 
this  confidence.  But  if  you  feel  it,  there  is  nothing 
in  the  doctrine  to  discourage  its  boldest  triumphs. 
If  you  have  never  exercised  it  before,  there  is  no- 
thing in  the  doctrine,  (unregenerate  as  you  are,)  to 
discourage  you  from  exercising  it  now.  It  will 
only  be  confiding  in  an  everlasting  truth,  which  the 
doctrine  has  no  influence  to  destroy.  It  is  a  truth, 
as  unchanging  as  the  perfections  of  God,  that  He  is 
ready  to  hear,  at  all  times,  from  whatever  quarter 
it  comes,  the  cry  of  penitent  grief  and  filial  confi- 
dence offered  through  His  dear  Son.  Go  then  di- 
rectly to  His  present  will,  to  His  inmost  heart,  with 
the  agony  and  confidence  of  Jacob.  Do  you  hesi- 
tate and  tremble  from  a  doubt  about  your  election  ? 
But  what  has  this  to  do  ?  You  know  that  if  you 
offer  such  prayers  you  shall  be  accepted  upon  every 
plan, — that  if  you  do  not  offer  such  prayers  you 
cannot  be  accepted  upon  any  plan.  You  doubt 
perhaps  whether  your  prayers  are  sincere :  but  this 
has  nothing  to  do  with  Election ;  for  none  but 
sincere  prayers  can  be  accepted  whether  Election 
is  true  or  false.  Do  you  find  the  dreadful  proof 
that  your  prayers  are  unholy?  Even  then  you  are 
not  delivered  over  to  an  ancient  decree ;  you  are 
only  cast  upon  His  present  will.  If  that  will 
which,  self-moved,  let  down  a  hand  to  raise  Abra- 
ham and  David  from  unregeneracy,  is  pleased  to 
pluck  you  from  destruction,  you  live.  Upon  that 
will  throw  yourself  in  the  last  resort.  Put  your 
life  in  your  hand,  cast  yourself  at  His  feet,  pouring 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  233 

out  this  sum  of  all  your  hopes,  "Lord,  if  thou  wilt, 
thou  canst  make  me  clean." 

"  But  in  case  I  am  not  elected  He  will  not  re- 
ceive me  if  I  go."  He  will  receive  you  if  you  go, 
the  decree  of  Election  notwithstanding.  Election 
only  touches  the  question  whether  you  shall  be  con- 
strained to  go.  But  if  you  go  Election  does  not 
.stand  in  the  way.  If  you  go  you  will  certainly  be 
received.  It  is  the  wickedness  of  unbelief  that 
questions  this  truth, — a  truth  in  which  all  the 
mercy  and  sincerity  of  God  are  involved.  It  is 
your  indispensable  duty  to  believe  it;  you  are  com- 
manded to  believe  it ;  you  will  be  eternally  punish- 
ed for  not  believing  it  To  doubt  it  is  to  charge 
God  with  falsehood  and  perjury  to  His  face.  Did 
you  never  read  that  the  "  faith"  without  which  "it 
is  impossible  to  please  Him,"  believes  "  that  He  is 
a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him"  P* 
Be  you  elected  or  not,  God  is  this,— and  you  ought 
to  believe  it  with  the  most  unwavering  confidence. 
You  cannot  entertain  too  exalted  ideas  of  His  rea- 
diness, His  eager  desire  to  receive  all  who  truly 
apply.  If  you  go  to  Him  in  the  fulness  of  this  feel- 
ing, you  will  find  no  decree  in  the  way. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  I  infer  also  that 
Election  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  sincerity  of  the 
invitations  to  the  non-elect.  God  never  decreed 
that  the  invitations  should  be  rejected  ;  but  when 
all  men  agree  to  reject  them,  He  only  determines 

*  Heb.  xl  6. 

30 


£3$  ELECTION.  [lECT*  IX. 

whom  He  will  make  willing.  The  discriminating 
decree  comes  in  after  the  rejection.  It  stands  in 
this  order  in  the  Eternal  Mind;  it  stands  in  this 
order  when  it  is  executed.  To  God  the  decree  and 
the  execution  are  in  the  same  moment ;  to  Him  no 
part  of  the  discrimination  is  before  the  refusal,  even 
in  the  order  of  nature.  It  is  as  though  a  man  were 
to  invite  you  to  his  house,  with  no  other  purpose 
than  to  give  you  a  kind  reception,  and  after  your 
refusal  should  form  other  designs  concerning  you. 
If  we  could  familiarly  apprehend  the  idea  of  an 
eternal  Now,  this  would  be  seen  to  be  an  exact  ac- 
count of  the  overtures  to  the  non- elect. 

But  to  pass  from  the  mode  of  God's  existence 
to  the  scale  of  creatures,  if  any  thing  lies  against 
the  sincerity  of  the  invitations,  it  is  merely  the  fore- 
knowledge that  they  will  be  rejected.  But  this  ob- 
jection is  to  be  met  upon  every  plan  that  does  not 
deny  the  omniscience  of  God.  And  it  lies  equal- 
ly against  the  sincerity  of  the  invitations  to  the  elect 
before  they  are  renewed.  This  objection  points  its 
force,  not  against  Election,  but  against  foreknow- 
ledge, and  equally  embarrasses  every  plan  short  of 
downright  atheism.  The  common  answer  which 
Arminians  give  to  this  objection  is,  that  inasmuch 
as  the  sinner  is  able  to  accept,  and  ist  not  prevented 
by  God  ;  inasmuch  as  God  is  trilling  that  he  should 
come  if  he  will,  and  stands  ready  to  receive  him  if 
lie  comes,  the  invitation  is  to  be  considered  sincere 
notwithstanding  the  foreknowledge.  Precisely  the 
same  is  my  answer ;  and  if  the  Armiuian  scheme 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  235 

is  thus  freed  from  the  difficulty,  so  is  the  doctrine* 
which  I  am  supporting.  I  only  add  to  their  idea, 
that  God  is  able  to  conquer  the  rebel  if  He  will. 

But  I  have  another  thins;  to  say.     God  is  exhi- 
bitcd  in  the  Scriptures  in  two  distinct  characters ;  as 
the  great  physical  agent  or  main-spring  of  motion, 
and  as  the  moral  Governour  of  the  world,  holding 
in  His  hands  the  rights  of  the  Godhead,  and  com- 
manding, threatening,    punishing,  inviting,  promis- 
ing, and  rewarding.     These  two  departments  are 
so  distinct  as  to  belong  to  two  different  Persons  in 
the  Godhead ;  the  former  being  the  office  work  of 
the  Spirit,  the  latter  the  office  work  of  the  Father. 
Now  for  the  Father  to  invite  those  whom  the  Spi- 
rit does  not  sanctify,  implies  no  more  inconsistency 
than  for  the  Son  to  mediate  for  those  with  whom 
the  Father  is  displeased.      There  is  no  more  con- 
trariety in  the  case  than  between  desire  and  sub- 
mission in  a  saint.     As  the  act  of  the  Spirit  leaves 
the  moral  agency  of  men  entire,  the  Father  may 
reasonably  address  them  as  complete  agents, — a- 
gents  as  entirely  distinct  from  Him  as  from   each 
other.     There  is  no  exercise  of  a  moral  government 
upon  any  other  principle.     No  other  principle  ac- 
cords with  truth  ;    for  men  are  complete  moral  a- 
gents,  and  as  distinct  from  God  as  from  each  other. 
And  it  is  no    less   reasonable  for  Him  to  com- 
mand, invite,  promise,  and  threaten  His  subjects, 
than  for  an  earthly  prince  to  do  this  ;  and  He  is  as 
sincere  in  His  invitations   and  promises,  even  to 
those  who  reject  His  rails.   a«  any  earthly  prince 


236  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

could  be.  In  estimating  the  sincerity  of  these  acft 
dresses,  you  are  to  lay  out  of  account  the  physical 
agency  of  the  Spirit,  since  this  in  no  degree  inter- 
feres with  the  freedom  of  sinners,  nor  with  the  Fa- 
ther's  readiness  to  receive  as  many  as  apply.  Lose 
yourselves  in  contemplating  Him  in  the  simple  light 
of  a  moral  Governour,  full  of  love  and  mercy,  hav- 
ing nothing  to  do  with  the  work  of  constraining  men, 
sending  abroad  His  invitations  to  moral  agents  ful- 
ly able  to  comply,  and  actually  receiving  all  who 
come  :  lay  aside  the  relations  of  before  and  after, 
and  consider  all  this,  (both  the  purpose  and  the  act,) 
as  only  present ;  and  then  say,  are  not  His  invita- 
tions to  all  men  sincere  ?  In  this  light  the  whole 
subject  appears,  (as  many  can  testify,)  to  a  soul 
possessed  of  the  lively  and  realizing  views  of  faith. 
But  I  have  one  more  objection  to  meet.  I  hear 
some  of  you  say,  Does  not  this  doctrine  make  God 
a  respecter  of  persons  P  This  depends  on  what 
ydU  mean  by  the  terms.  If  to  confer  unequal  fa- 
vours on  His  creatures  is  to  be  a  respecter  of  per- 
sons, He  is  doubtless  such.  The  fact  meets  you 
wherever  you  turn  your  eye.  He  gave  more  ex- 
alted powers  to  men  than  to  worms,  to  angels  than 
to  men.  He  passed  by  those  who  fell  from  heaven 
and  provided  a  Saviour  for  the  human  race.  He 
passed  by  the  pagan  tribes  and  sent  the  Gospel  to 
you.  He  brings  one  into  the  world  the  child  of 
prayer,  to  inherit  the  blessings  of  a  pious  family, 
while  another  is  neglected  by  profligate  parents  to 
grow  up  "  like  a  wild  ass's  colt."  To  one  He  gives 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  237 

"five  talents/'  to  another  "two,"  to  another  u  owe.-' 
One  man  is  born  to  disease  and  unremitting 
pain,  another  to  vigorous  health.  One  inherits  no- 
thing  but  poverty  and  disgrace,  another  is  born  to 
wealth  and  honour.  One  is  cut  down  in  infancy, 
another  is  suffered  to  reach  the  utmost  limit  of  hu- 
man life.  One  finds  uninterrupted  success  in  all 
the  labour  of  his  hands,  another  seems  to  live  only 
for  disappointment  and  defeat.  Nor  is  this  always 
the  consequence  of  better  or  worse  management : 
"The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
strong."  If  then  you  mean  by  respect  for  per- 
sons the  holy  sovereignty  exercised  in  these  discri- 
minations, so  far  from  disowning  it  as  derogato- 
ry to  His  character,  the  great  Proprietor  of  heaven 
and  earth  claims  it  as  His  glory  and  unalienable 
right.  And  instead  of  taking  offence  at  this,  all  the 
holy  universe  pronounce  with  one  voice,  "Amen  : 
let  none  but  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Love  decide  a 
single  event  to  eternity." 

What  then  does  the  Sovereign  of  the  world 
mean  when  He  disclaims  the  character  of  being  a 
respecter  of  persons  ?  He  always  has  reference 
to  Himself  in  the  capacity  of  a  judge,  or  of  a  king 
rewarding  and  punishing,  and  means  no  more  than 
this,  that  when  He  sits  on  the  tribunal  to  pronounce 
sentence,  or  when  He  distributes  rewards  and 
punishments,  He  will  treat  men  according  to  their 
naked  characters,  unbiassed  by  any  other  consi- 
deration, uninfluenced  by  any  private  partialities, 
as  for  Jews  against  Gentiles,  for  apostles  against 


£38  ELECTION*  [LECT.  IX, 

common  Christians,  for  members  of  the  Church 
against  infidels,  for  the  learned  against  the  igno- 
rant, for  the  rich  against  the  poor,  for  masters 
against  servants,  for  kings  against  peasants.  That 
this  is  certainly  His  meaning  will  appear  from  a 
single  glance  at  the  passages  in  which  the  phrase 
is  used.  Jehoshaphat  said  to  the  judges,  "  Take 
heed  what  ye  do,  for  ye  judge  not  for  men,  but  for 
the  Lord,  who  is  with  you  in  the  judgment: — for 
there  is  no  iniquity  with  the  Lord  our  God,  nor  re- 
spect of  persons,  nor  taking  of  gifts,"  ( bribes. J 
Moses  said  to  the  people,  "  Be  no  more  stiff-neck- 
ed, for  the  Lord  your  God  is — a  great  God,  a 
mighty,  and  a  terrible,  which  regardeth  not  per- 
sons, nor  taketh  reward,  {bribes:']  He  doth  execute 
the  judgment  of  the  fatherless  and  widow."  "  Shall 
even  he,"  said  Elihu,  "  that  hateth  right  govern, 
and  wilt  thou  condemn  Him  that  is  most  just  f  Is 
it  fit  to  say  to  a  king,  Thou  art  wicked? — How 
much  less  to  Him  that  accepteth  not  the  persons  of 
princes,  nor  regardeth  the  rich  more  than  the  poor. 
— He  striketh  them  as  wicked  men  in  the  open 
sight  of  others,  because — they  cause  the  cry  of  the 
poor  to  come  unto  Him. — He  respecteth  not  any 
that  are  wise  of  heart."  When  Peter  beheld  the 
tokens  of  divine  favour  to  the  first  Gentile  converts, 
he  said,  "  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons,  for  in  every  nation  he  that  fear - 
eth  Him  and  ivorketh  righteousness  is  accented 
7vith  Him."  Paul,  looking  forward  to  "  the  day  of 
wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  239 

of  God,"  says,  "Who  will  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  deeds, — tribulation  and  anguish 
upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doth  evil,  of  the  Jew 
first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile  ;  but  glory,  honour, 
and  peace  to  every  man  that  vvorketh  good,  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile  ;  for  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons  with  God."  Speaking  of  the 
apostles  and  Christians  in  the  mother  church  at 
Jerusalem,  he  says,  "Whatsoever  they  were  it 
maketh  no  matter  to  me  ;  God  accepteth  no  man's 
person."  That  is,  neither  membership  in  the  mo- 
ther church,  nor  even  an  apostleship  is  regarded  by 
Him  who  looks  only  at  the  naked  character.  To 
masters  and  servants  he  says,  "Ye  masters,  do 
the  same  unto  them,  forbearing  threatening,  know- 
ing that  your  Master  also  is  in  heaven,  neither  is 
there  respect  of  persons  with  Him."  "  Servants, 
obey  in  all  things  your  masters, — knowing  that  of 
the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  reward  : — but  he 
that  doth  wrong  shall  receive  for  the  wrong  which 
he  hath  done  ;  and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons.'* 
But  Peter  brings  this  matter  to  a  point :  "  If  ye 
call  on  the  Father,  who  without  respect  of  persons 
judgeth  according  to  every  man's  work."  So  when 
the  Herodians  constituted  Christ  a  judge  in  the 
question  about  paying  tribute  to  Cesar,  they  say, 
"  Neither  acceptest  thou  the  person  of  any,  but 
teachest  the  way  of  God  truly  ;"  pretending  to  say, 
that  He  would  give  a  just  judgment  without  parti- 
ality even  to  an  emperor. 


MO  ELECTION.  [LECT.  IX. 

Turn  now  to  the  passages  in  which  the  phrase 
is  used  in  reference  to  men.     In  every  case  when 
thus  applied  it  refers  to  men  appointed  to  judge  for 
God.     "I  charged  your  judges, — saying,  hear  the 
cause  between  your  brethren,  and  judge  righteous- 
ly : — ye  shall  not  respect  persons  in  judgment,  but 
you  shall  hear  the  small  as  well  as  the  great,— for 
the  judgment  is  God's."     "  Ye  shall  do   no  un- 
righteousness in  judgment ;  thou  shalt  not  respect 
the  person  of  the  poor,  nor  honour  the  person  of  the 
mighty  ;  but  in  righteousness  shalt  tJwu  judge  thy 
neighbour."     "  Thou  shalt  not  wrest  judgment  ; 
thou  shalt  not  respect  persons,  neither  take  a  gift, 
[a   bribe. ~\ — That   which  is  altogether  just   shalt 
thou  follow. "     "  It  is  not  good  to  have  respect  of 
persons  in  judgment.    He  that  saith  unto  the  wick- 
ed, Thou  art  righteous,  him  shall  the  people  curse." 
u  To  have  respect  of  persons  is  not  good,  for /or  a 
piece  of  bread,   [a  bribe,"]   that  man  will  trans- 
gress."    In  allusion  to  church  assemblies  held  to 
judge  of  controversies  between   brethren,  James 
says,  "Have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
— with  respect  of  persons.     For  if  there  come  into 
your  assemblies  a  man  with  a  gold  ring  in  goodly 
apparel,  and  there  come  in  also  a  poor  man  in  vile 
raiment ;   and  ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth 
the  gay  clothing,  and  say  unto  him,  Sit  thou  here 
in  a  good  place,  and  say  to  the  poor,  Stand  thou 
there,  or  sit  thou  here  under  my  footstool ;  are  ye 
not  then  partial  in  yourselves,  and  are  become 


LECT,  IX.]  SECTION.  241 

judges  of  evil  thoughts? — But  if  ye  have  respect 
*o  persons,  ye  commit  sin."* 

These,  I  believe,  are  all  the  instances  in  which 
the  phrase  is  found  in  the  Bible,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  single  passage  in  which  it  is  perhaps  im- 
properly introduced  into  our   translation.!      And 
what  do  all  these  passages  prove?  that  when  God 
acts  in  the  character  of  a,  judge,  or  when  He  distri- 
butes rewards  and  punishments,  He  will  treat  men 
according  to  tfrek  naked  character,  unbiassed  by  any 
other  consideration.     But  they  do  not  deny  the  dis- 
criminating influence  of  His  holy  sovereignty  in 
farming  that  character.     If  He  has  none  of  the  un- 
just partialities  of  a  wicked  judge  that  will  acquit 
the  wicked  and  condemn  the  righteous,  yet  has  He 
not  a  right  to  bestow  a  free  gift  on  whom  He 
•pleases?    It  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  the 
exercise  of  His  sovereignty  is  not  arbitrary,  nor  ca- 
pricious, nor  influenced  by  private  partialities,  but 
by  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  aiming  at  no  other 
object  than  the  general  happiness.    •  We  may  rest 
assured  that  there  is  a  good  reason  for  every  dis- 
crimination which  He  makes,  though  that  reason 
Is  not  explained  to  u's.     And  what  right  has  any 
nam  to   complain  ?    After   salvation   is   provided, 
and  offered,  and  refused,   does  it  become  him  to 
eon  plain  that  he  is  not  forced  to  accept  it?   Has 

»  Lev.  six.  15.      prut.  i.  16,  17.   and  x.  16—18.  and  xvi.  18—20. 
.  I  bron.  xix.  6,  7.    Job  xxxiv.  17 — 23.  and  xxxvii.  24.    Prov.  xxiv.  23, 
ami  xxviii.   21.      I.nkc  xx.  21.     Acts  x.  34,35.     Horn.  ii.  5 — 11. 
£ph,  vi,  p.     Col.  iii.  22—25.    James  ii.  1—9.     1  Pet  i   U 
Jt  2  Sam.  xiv.  14. 

a  j 


24£  election.  £lect. IX* 

lie  merited  salvation,  and  that  constraining  influ- 
ence too,  that  lie  thinks  himself  authorized  to  com- 
plain ?  Was  God  under  obligation  to  provide  a 
Saviour  ?  And  was  He  bound  moreover  to  force 
that  Saviour  upon  you  ?  The  truth  is  that  all 
men  deserve  to  die  ;  none  have  any  claims  on  God 
for  life  ;  every  part  of  salvation  is  a  free,  unmerit- 
ed gift.  And  shall  not  God  have  the  common 
liberty  of  a  man,  to  bestow  a  free  gift  on  whom  He 
pleases  ?  Who  is  injured  by  it?  The  least  favour- 
ed of  His  rational  offspring  suffer  no  more  than  they 
deserve.  If  you  have  your  deserts,  and  others  have 
more,  what  is  that  to  you  ?  Has  He  not  a  right  to 
do  what  He  will  with  His  own  ? 

But  after  all  there  is  one  class  of  men  to  whom 
this  doctrine  will  always  present  insuperable  diffi- 
culties. They  are  those  who  would  rather  intrust 
their  fate  to  their  own  hands  than  to  the  hands 
of  God, — who  would  rather  hold  the  throne  than 
yield  it  to  Him.  To  people  of  this  description  the 
doctrine  can  never  be  cleared  up, — for  this  sub- 
stantial reason, — it  is  opposed  to  their  wishes.  By 
this  class  you  may  expect  to  be  often  admonished 
that  the  doctrine,  if  it  is  true,  ought  never  to  be 
preached  ;  because,  as  they  tell  you,  it  is  liable  to 
be  abused,  and  may,  they  fear,  discourage  men, 
and  tempt  them  to  sit  down  without  an  effort.  And 
pray  what  doctrine  is  not  liable  to  be  abused  ? 
Must  we  then  suppress  the  whole?  Tell  me  ano- 
ther thing.  Has  God  revealed  this  truth  ?  and  has 
He  done  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  world?    and  are 


LECT.  IX.]  ELECTION.  243 

you  wiger  than  God  ?  Has  He  any  where  author- 
ized His  ministers  to  cover  a  part  of  His  Revelation? 
If  not,  can  your  advice  be  a  sufficient  warrant? 
Do  you  think  yourself  authorized  to  give  advice  in 
a  case  which  God  has  decided?  Take  a  little 
more  liberty,  and  advise  the  Author  of  the  Bible  to 
recall  a  part  of  His  Revelation. 

But  shall  I  tell  you  some  of  the  ends  that  may 
be  answered  by  preaching  this  doctrine?  One  im- 
portant end  is  to  detect  hearts  which  are  unwilling 
that  God  should  reign, — to  lay  open  those  smooth, 
selfish  spirits  which,  while  they  cry  Hosanna,  are 
hostile  to  the  dominion  of  Jehovah.  The  more 
fully  God  and  the  system  of  His  government  arc 
brought  out  to  view,  the  more  clearly  are  the  se- 
crets of  all  hearts  revealed.  Another  end  is  to 
show  the  world  their  real  condition,  their  absolute 
dependance,  and  what  they  owe  to  the  grace  of 
God.  If  it  is  a  fact  that  sinners  are  so  obstinate 
that  they  must  be  subdued,  ought  they  not  to  know 
it?  If  it  is  a  fact  that  God  "  worketh  all  things  af- 
ter the  counsel  of  His  own  will,"  shall  this  im- 
portant part  of  His  character  and  administration 
he  concealed?  If  His  eternal  covenant  with  His 
Son,  and  the  whole  economy  of  grace,  arc  what 
they  have  been  represented,  shall  men  be  kept  ig- 
norant of  truths  which  constitute  so  large  a  part  of 
the  glory  of  God,  and  furnish  so  vast  a  proportion 
of  the  themes  of  their  everlasting  praise  ?  Shall 
not  sinners  be  told  that  every  part  of  their  salvation 
comes  from  God?    and  shall  not  saints  be  allowed 


SM'  ELECTION.  [LECT.  HU 

to  know  who  lias  made  llicm  to  differ  ?  Shall  the* 
Church  lose  the  happiness  of  seeing  God  on  the 
throne,  and  ihe  immortal  interests  of  all  men  in  His 
hands  ?  Shall  not  a  universal  world  he  taught  to 
ascribe  their  whole  salvation  to  Him,  and  to  lay 
their  honours  at  His  feet  ?  Tear  not  from  me — I 
had  almost  said,  the  siceetesi  truth  of  the  Christian 
system  !  Deny  me  not  the  happiness  of  knowing  my 
obligations,  and  blessing  my  Deliverer  !  Hide  not 
from  my  eyes  the  only  foundation  of  human  hope  ? 


LECTURE  X. 


THE  PLEA  OF  INABILITY  CONSIDERED, 


MATTHEW  XXV.  24— 2?\ 

then  he  which  had  received  the  one  talent  came  and  said,  loiij); 
i  knew  thee  that  thou  aht  a  hard  man,  heaping  where  thou 
hast  not  soavn,  and  gathering  where  thou  hast  not  strowed  ; 
and  i  was  afraid,  and  went  and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth  : 
lo,  there  thou  hast  that  is  thine.  his  lord  answered  and  s  yij> 
unto  him,  thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant  !  thou  knewest 
that  i  reap  where  i  sowed  not,  and  gather  where  i  have  not 
strowed  !  thou  oughtest  therefore  to  have  put  my  money  to 
the  exchangers,  and  then  at  my  coming  i  should  have  received 
my  own  with  usury- 


ThERE  is  a  certain  plea,  often  found  in  the 
mouths  of  sinners  who  hear  the  Gospel  faithfully 
preached,  the  falsity  and  wickedness  of  which  this 
parable  was  intended  to  expose,  The  plea  is,  that 
God  requires  more  than  they  are  able  to  perform  ; 
that  they  cannot  change  their  own  hearts, — cannot 
love  and  submit  to  Him  :  and  this  they  urge  as  an 
excuse  for  doing  nothing.  The  parable  represents 
this  as  the  common  retreat  of  every  sinner  under 
the  Gospel.  It  divides  the  Christian  world  into 
two  parts,  those  who  faithfully  improve  different 


&1G  THE  plea  or  [lect.  X.' 

talents,  and  those  who  call  God  a  hard  master.  It 
puts  this  pretence  into  the  mouth  of  every  cast- 
away. And  where  the  divine  requirements  are 
clearly  urged,  this  is  the  plea  of  every  unregenerate 
man.  If  any  thing  was  wanting  to  complete  the 
proof  of  Total  Depravity,  this  universal  disposition 
to  accuse  God  would  furnish  the  supplement.  The 
plea  is  false,  impious,  ruinous,  insincere,  at  vari- 
ance with  other  things  uttered  by  the  same  lips,  and 
self  condemning  if  true.  These  arc  the  points 
which  I  shall  attempt  to  establish. 

(1.)  The  plea  is  false.  It  is  not  true  that  God 
requires  of  sinners  more  than  they  are  able  to  per- 
form.  It  is  not  true  that  thev  cannot  love  and  sub- 
mit  to  Him.  They  have  ample  power,  and  nothing 
prevents  but  their  desperate  wickedness. 

But  the  ability  which  is  ascribed  to  them  ought 
to  be  distinctly  explained.  It  is  a  natural  ability, 
in  distinction  from  a  moral.  By  moral  I  mean 
that  which  hears  relation  to  praise  or  blame.  What- 
ever  impediment  is  blamable,  is  a  moral  difficulty  ; 
every  other  is  natural.  Now  if  there  is  no  difficul- 
ty in  the  way  of  their  loving  and  submitting  to  God 
but  what  they  are  to  blame  for,  there  is  no  natural 
inability  ;  and  if  there  is  no  natural  inability,  there 
is  natural  power.  If  nothing  hinders  but  what  is  a 
moral  evil,  for  the  existence  and  continuance  of 
which  they  are  to  blame,  then  there  is  no  natural 
or  blameless  inability.  If  the  impediment  is  mo- 
ral or  blameworthy,  it  cannot  be  natural  or  blame- 
less  :  and  where  there  is  no  natural  inability,  there 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED,  217 

must  be  natural  power.  If  they  could  readily  obey 
were  there  no  faulty  cause  to  prevent,  then  it  is  pro- 
per to  say  that  they  are  able.  This  is  agreeable  to 
the  common  language  of  mankind,  and  consonant 
with  all  our  ideas  of  power  in  the  ordinary  affairs 
of  life.  If  nothing  but  wickedness  prevents  the 
performance  of  an  action,  common  sense  pronounces 
that  there  is  power.  If  nothing  but  stubbornness 
prevents  a  child  from  walking,  you  say  he  has 
power  to  walk.  You  speak  differently  if  he  is 
tame.  Where  the  difficulty  of  overcoming  an  in- 
clination is  very  great,  you  still  say  there  is  pow- 
er. You  tell  the  drunkard  that  he  can  abandon 
his  cups  ;  and  if  he  denies,  you  have  only  to  drop 
a  little  poison  into  his  glass,  and  it  may  stand  by 
him  untouched  for  half  a  century.  And  in  a  higher 
case,  where  no  motive  can  be  found  strong  enough 
to  relist  the  inclination,  you  liave  the  same  reason 
to  speak  of  the  power :  for  in  the  case  of  the 
drunkard  you  pronounce  him  able  before  the  suc- 
cessful motive  is  applied.  And  if  you  declare 
him  able  in  the  absence  of  the  motive,  you  may  as 
truly  pronounce  a  sinner  able  to  love  God  who  has 
no  disposition.  For  the  sinner  can  as  easily  love 
without  a  disposition,  as  the  drunkard  can  change 
his  habits  without  a  constraining  motive, — indeed 
as  easily  as  a  man  can  stop  in  a  journey  while  the 
stronger  motive  urges  him  forward. 

The  single  question  is,  whether  there  is  any 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  loving  God  but  what  sinners 
are  to  blame  for.     As  they  possess  understanding. 


218  THE    PLEA    OF  [lECT.  X. 

will,  and  affection^  and  are  capable  of  loving  and 
hating,  it  will  be  allowed  that  nothing  prevents  but 
a  wrong  temper  of  heart, — nothing,  (as  has  been 
proved  in  former  Lectures,)  but  supreme  selfish- 
ness, producing  an  implacable  opposition,  too  deep 
and  powerful  to  be  overcome  but  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Now  is  this  opposition  a  misfortune  or  a, 
fault  ?  A  fault  surely  :  for  if  disinclination  excuses 
from  duty,  all  the  sin  in  the  universe  is  excused, 
and  is  no  longer  sin.  If  in  proportion  as  the  heart 
is  opposed  to  right  it  is  exonerated  from  blame,  God 
cannot  make  a  creature  capable  of  sinning.  If  sin 
exists  any  where  it  must  be  in  the  heart.  The  mo- 
i  ions  of  the  body,  considered  otherwise  than  as  in- 
dications of  the  heart,  bear  no  more  relation  to 
praise  or  blame  than  the  motions  of  a  clock.  But 
if  there  is  sin  in  the  heart,  it  must  consist  in  the  op- 
jposiiion  of  the  heart  to  good.  If  that  opposition, 
(the  essence  of  all  possible  sin,)  is  really  an  ex- 
cuse, then  sin  is  an  excuse  for  itself,  and  is  no 
longer  sin, — the  difference  between  sin  and  holi- 
ness is  no  more,— both  are  extinct,  and  men  are 
machines.  If  disinclination  excuses  from  obedi- 
ence, then  every  law  requiring  men  to  cross  their 
inclinations  is  oppression,  and  punishment  is  tyran- 
ny. Every  trace  of  a  moral  government;  indeed 
of  every  other  government,  ought  to  be  obliterated, 
and  but  one  law  remain  to  the  universe,  and  that 
be  for  every  creature  to  do  as  he  pleases.  The 
malignity  of  devils  is  no  more  sinful  than  ihe  fury 
of  lions,  and  the  love  of  seraphs  no  more  praise- 


lect.  x."|         inability  considered.  249 

worthy  than  the  mildness  of  lambs.  The  moral 
Governour  lias  lost  His  throne,  and  is  no  more  than 
a  shepherd  among  a  floek  of  sheep  and  goats.  To 
all  this  horrid  length  you  are  pushed  the  moment 
you  attempt  to  hold  up  the  opposition  of  the  heart 
to  God  as  an  excuse  instead  of  a  crime, — the  mo- 
ment  you  deny  it  to  be  the  very  essence  of  all  sin. 
And  consider,  I  pray  you,  how  it  must  appear 
to  the  Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth  for  you  to 
stand  forth  and  plead,  that  you  cannot  discover  any 
u  forin"  or  "  comeliness"  in  Him  why  you  "  should 
desire  Him" !  Is  He  then  so  unlovely  that  a  ra- 
tional mind  cannot  love  Him?  What,  cannot  love 
the  infinitely  glorious  God,  your  Creator,  Preser- 
ver, and  Redeemer !  Have  you  such  a  heart  as  this? 
And  your  heart  is  you  yourself.  Are  you  then 
such  a  wretch,  that  all  the  motives  which  three 
worlds  present  cannot  prevail  on  you  to  love  the 
blessed  God  !  It  is  an  everlasting  blot  on  creation 
that  a  second  word  need  be  uttered  to  induce  men 
to  love  that  Being  whom  all  heaven  adore.  And 
are  you  such  a  wretch  that  all  the  motives  in  the 
universe  cannot  persuade  you,  and  you  must  be 
compelled  ?  What  an  eternal  reproach  to  the  name 
of  man !  And  do  you  offer  this  horrid  temper  as 
your  excuse?  Is  this  your  plea?  I  call  heaven 
and  earth  to  witness  that  this  is  pleading  guil- 
ty. "How  can  I  love  God?"  How  can  you 
help  it?  How  is  it  possible  to  avoid  loving  such 
a  Being  ?  Canuot !  You  can  love  every  thing 
else.      You  can  love  sin,  the  most  loathsome  of 


250  THE    PLEA    Off  [LECT.  X. 

objects.  And  is  it  harder  to  love  infinite  loveli- 
ness? How  think  you  this  plea  will  appear  at 
the  Judgment  of  the  Great  Day  ?  When  God  shall 
arraign  you,  and  charge  you  with  being  His  ene- 
my, and  you  shall  plead  that  you  were  His  ene- 
my, and  so  much  His  enemy  that  you  could  not 
love  Him,  what  will  He  say?  Our  text  tells  you 
what  He  will  say :  "  Thou  wicked  and  slothful 
servant !"  and  will  then  command  you  to  outer 
darkness,  where  there  is  weeping  and  gnashing  of 
teeth.  Have  you  risen  up  against  God  and  the 
universe,  and  committed  sins  deserving  of  eternal 
*•  shame  and  contempt"?  and  do  you  now  ask, 
How  can  I  repent  P  How  can  you  help  dying 
with  shame  and  self-loathing?  What  should  you 
think  of  a  man  who  had  murdered  his  father 
and  mother,  and  could  not  be  sorry  ?  Has  the 
Son  of  God  died  to  redeem  you,  and  then  spread 
before  you  the  most  incontestable  proofs  of  His 
mission  and  death?  and  can  you  not  believe? 
Can  you  not  make  one  thank-offering  to  dying 
love  ?  Can  you  not  help  being  His  enemy,  and 
trampling  His  blood  in  the  dust  ?  Are  you  such 
a  monster  of  ingratitude  and  wickedness  ?  And 
do  you  still  ask,  How  can  I  repent? 

You  admit  in  general  that  you  are  to  blame 
for  your  opposition  to  God ;  but  it  has  risen  to 
such  a  pitch  that  you  cannot  subdue  it,  and  from 
this  task  you  think  you  ought  to  be  excused. 
And  has  it  come  to  this,  that  a  man  is  (o  blame 
for  committing  murder  once,  but  if  he  commits 


?,ECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  %5i 

it  ten  times,  and  forms  the  habit,  he  may  mur- 
der with  impunity  ?  Or  to  confine  the  view  to 
operations  of  the  mind)  will  you  say  that  a  man 
is  to  blame  for  hating  his  neighbour  a  little, 
but  if  he  hates  him  much  he  is  excused?  Is 
it  not  manifest  to  common  sense  that  the  more 
he  hates  the  more  inexcusable  he  is?  And  on 
the  same  principle  if  the  sinner's  opposition  to 
God  rises  so  high  as  to  be  unconquerable  but 
by  divine  power,  he  is  on  that  account  the  more 
abominable  and  hell-deserving.  And  does  he  think 
to  plead  in  extenuation  the  very  thing  that  ag- 
gravates  his   guilt  ? 

But  there  are  no  bounds  to  this  plea.  If  you 
accept  it  as  an  excuse  for  not  loving  and  submitting 
to  God,  and  only  exhort  the  sinner  to  be  convicted, 
the  same  plea  comes  up  again,— -he  cannot  convict 
himself.  Press  him  to  be  awakened,  and  he  can- 
not awaken  himself.  Urge  him  to  a  serious  and 
earnest  use  of  means,  and  he  cannot  be  serious  and 
earnest  of  himself.  Tell  him  to  trv, — to  bind  his 
thoughts  to  divine  subjects,  and  he  cannot  bind  his 
thoughts  himself.  Quit  the  ground  of  religion,  and 
beseech  him  only  to  govern  his  turbulent  passions, 
and  he  cannot ;  to  break  his  bad  habits,  he  cannot; 
to  resist  temptation,  he  cannot ;  to  break  away 
from  wicked  companions,  he  cannnot :  to  avoid 
swearing,  drunkenness,  uncleanness,  still  he  cannot. 
There  is  nothing  that  lie  can  do  but  sin  with  all  his 
might.  This  is  no  picture  of  the  fancy.  At  all 
fhcse  points  men  have  stood,  and  arc  daily  stand- 


252  THE    PLEA    OF  [LECT.  X. 

ing  to  protect  themselves  with  the  tyrant's  plea  of 
necessity.  And  which  of  the  whole  fraternity 
makes  out  the  best  excuse,  it  would  be  hard  to 
determine. 

Not  one  of  you  would  admit  this  excuse  in  a 
plea  against  yourself.  If  one  should  indulge  a 
spirit  of  unreasonable  enmity  against  you,  you 
would  hardly  accept  it  as  an  apology  that  he  hated 
you  so  much  that  he  could  not  love  you,  When 
the  plea  is  against  you,  you  judge  one  way  ;  when 
it  is  for  you,  another.  How  manifest  it  is  that  your 
judgment  is  perverted  and  blinded  by  self-love. 
From  that  prejudiced  tribunal  I  appeal  to  common 
sense.  Does  not  common  sense  decide  that  men 
are  without  excuse  for  hating  the  greatest  and  best 
of  beings?  And  if  you  would  allow  the  Bible  to 
enter  its  voice  in  a  question  between  you  and  its 
Author,  that  would  settle  every  doubt.  The  Bible 
uniformly  treats  the  evil  propensities  of  the  heart  as 
utterly  without  excuse.  It  every  where  speaks  in 
terms  of  the  most  pointed  reprobation  of  those  who 
arc  lovers  of  their  own  selves,  lovers  of  the  world, 
lovers  of  pleasure,  proud,  high-minded,  envious, 
wrathful,  hard-hearted,  impenitent,  unbelieving, 
without  love  to  God.  It  men  are  not  to  blame  for 
these  evils  of  the  heart,  we  want  a  new  Bible,  a 
new  moral  government,  a  new  God  ! 

Only  grant  me  that  it  is  inexcusable  to  disobey 
the  positive  commands  of  God, — commands  address- 
ed to  you,  and  issued  in  full  view  of  all  your  embar- 
rassments, and  It  is  settled  that  you  are  without 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  233 

excuse  for  not  instantly  loving  and  submitting  to 
Him.  That  such  an  immediate  submission  is  re- 
quired, I  shall  presently  show,  and  shall  now  as- 
sume. Here  then  is  a  state  of  things  which  must 
bring  blame  on  the  Lawgiver  or  on  you.  If  you 
have  a  good  excuse  for  not  obeying  these  com- 
mands, they  ought  not  to  have  been  issued,  and 
then  the  blame  falls  on  Him  ;  if  you  have  no  excuse, 
the  blame  rests  on  you.  I  know  you  are  striving 
by  all  these  self-justifying  pleas  to  fasten  it  on 
God  ;  but  I  shall  deem  it  no  assumption,  after  all 
that  has  been  said,  if  I  clear  my  Maker  and  lay  the 
blame  on  vou. 

This  brings  me  to  the  end  of  my  argument,  and 
shows  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  way  but 
what  you  are  to  blame  for, — none  therefore  but  of 
a  moral  nature, — therefore  no  natural  inability, — 
of  course  you  must  have  natural  power. 

Having  arrived  at  this  conclusion,  I  shall  pro- 
ceed to  confirm  it  by  other  considerations.  The  Bi- 
ble, (if  you  will  allow  me  to  quote  that  authority  in 
a  controversy  between  you  and  its  Author,)  repre- 
sents men  as  possessed  of  natural  power,  and  as- 
cribes all  their  embarrassment  to  the  depravity  of 
their  hearts  or  wills.  "  O  foolish  people,  and  with- 
out understanding,  which  have  eyes  and  see  not, 
which  have  ears  and  hear  not."  "  Thou  dwellest 
in  the  midst  of  a  rebellious  house,  which  have  eyes 
to  see  and  see  not,  they  have  ears  to  hear  and  hear 

not,  FOR  THEY  ARE  A  REBELLIOUS  HOUSE.'*     "Bring 

forth  the  blind  people  that  have  eyes,  and  the  deaf 


2.34i  THE    PLEA    OF  [lECT.  X. 

that  have  ears."  "  They  arc  like  the  deaf  adder 
that  stoppeth  her  ears  ;  which  will  not  hearken  to 
the  voice  of  the  charmers,  charming  never  so  wise- 
ly." "Thus  saith  the  Lord, — In  returning  and 
rest  shall  ye  he  saved,  in  quietness  and  in  confi- 
dence shall  be  your  strength,  and  ye  would  not." 
"  Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life." 
"  How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children 
together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  un- 
der her  wings,  and  ye  would  not"  " Those  my 
enemies  which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over 
them,  bring  hither  and  slay  them  before  me." 
u  This  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  in- 
to the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every 
one  that  doth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh 
to  the  light  lest  his  deeds  should  he  reproved." 
The  moral  Governour  every  where  disclaims  the 
principle  of  requiring  men  to  go  beyond  their  pow- 
er :  "  If  there  be  first  a  willing  mind  it  is  accept- 
ed, according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  accord- 
ing to  that  he  hath  not."^ 

But  is  it  not  said,  u  JSTo  man  can  come  to  me 
except  the  Father — draw  him"?  I  answer,  the 
Scriptures  often  use  the  word  cannot  to  express 
nothing  more  than  a  strong  disinclination.  "  Haste 
thee,  escape  thither,"  said  the  angel  to  Lot,  "  for 
I  cannot  do  anv  thins;  till  thou  be  come  thither." 
Joseph's  brethren  "  hated  him,  and  could  not  speak 

*  Ps.lviii.  4,  5.    Isai.  xxx.  15.  and  xliii.  3.     Jer.  v.  21.    Ezek.  xii.  2. 
Mat.xxiii.  37.  Luke  xix.  27.  John  iii.  19,20.  and  v.  40.    2Coi\  viii.  12. 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  2jJ 

peaceably  unto  him."  "  The  tabernacle  of  the 
Lord, — and  the  altar  of  the  burnt  offering,  were — 
at  Gibeon ;  but  David  could  not  go  before  it  to  in- 
quire of  God,  for  he  was  afraid  because  of  the 
sword  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord.-'  "  Can  that 
which  is  unsavoury  be  eaten  without  salt  ?"  "  My 
iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I 
am  not  able  to  look  up."  "I  am  so  troubled 
that  I  cannot  speak."  "  Then  said  the  Lord 
unto  me,  Though  Moses  and  Samuel  stood  be- 
fore me,  yet  my  mind  could  not  be  towards 
this  people."  "Can  two  walk  together  except 
they  be  agreed? — The  Lord  hath  spoken,  who 
can  but  prophesy?"  "How  can  ye  being  evil 
speak  good  things  ?  for  out  of  the  abundance 
of  t\m  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."  "  Ye  can 
discern  the  face  of  the  sky,  but  can  ye  not  dis- 
cern the  signs  of  the  times?"  "Having  eyes  full 
of  adultery,  and  that  cannot  cease  from  sin." 
"  Can  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  fast  while 
the  bridegroom  is  with  them  ?"  "  This  is  a  hard 
saying,  who  can  hear  it  ?"  In  none  of  these 
passages  does  the  word  denote  any  thing  more 
than  a  strong  disinclination.  So  when  it  is  said, 
"No  man  can  come  to  me  except  the  Father 
— draw  him,"  the  meaning,  as  it  is  explained  by 
the  same  lips,  is  only  this,  "  Ye  will  not  come  to 
me  that  ye   might  have   life."* 

*  Gen.  xix.  22.  and  xxxvii.  4.  1  Cliron.  xxi.  29,  30.  Job  vi.  6.  Ps, 
xl.  12.  and  lxxvii.  4.  Jcr.  xv.  1.  Amos  iii.  3,  8.  Mat.  xii.  34.  and  xvi.  3. 
Mark  ii.  19.    John  v.  40.  and  vi.  44,  60.    2  Pet.  ii.  14. 


2.M)  THE    PLEA    OF  [LECT.  X. 

The  denial  of  the  sinners  power  leads  directly 
to  the  grossest  scheme  of  fatality.  This  will  ap- 
pear from  the  three  following  remarks  : 

[1.]  Sinners  have  as  much  power  to  change 
their  hearts  as  they  have  to  alter  at  once  any  of 
their  worldly  or  social  dispositions.  That  earthly 
objects  can  offer  motives  more  congenial  than  the 
truths  of  religion  to  their  general  tempers,  alters 
not  the  case ;  for  it  has  been  proved  that  no  dispo- 
sition is  changed  by  motives. 

[2.]  Sinners  have  as  much  power  to  love 
God,  as  they  have  to  exercise  feelings  opposite  to 
any  of  their  worldly  or  social  dispositions.  The 
numberless  changes  which  take  place  in  their 
worldly  and  social  feelings  while  their  dispositions 
remain  the  same,  furnish  no  proof  that  their  feel- 
ings and  dispositions  ever  disagree  ;  for  different 
feelings,  under  different  views  and  motives,  will 
grow  out  of  the  same  disposition,  and  equally  ac- 
cord with  it.  For  example,  new  views  of  your 
neighbour's  character  may  remove  prejudice,  and 
excite  kinder  affections  towards  him ;  or  your  re- 
gards may  be  changed  by  conduct  in  him  more  gra- 
tifying to  your  self-love ;  but  your  antipathy  and 
love,  in  this  case,  grow  out  of  the  same  dispo- 
sition, only  under  the  influence  of  different  motives. 

[3.]  Sinners  have  the  same  power  to  obey 
God,  as  they  have  to  yield,  in  the  common  affairs 
of  life,  to  any  motive  which  at  present,  through  the 
badness  of  their  disposition,  does  not  controul 
them,     It  has  been  proved  that  the  strongest  mo- 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  257 

five,  (that  is,  the  motive  which  has  most  influence 
with  the  existing  disposition,)  absolutely  controuls 
the  affections,  the  will,  and  the  conduct.  A  man 
by  reflection  may  bring  new  motives  before  him, 
which  may  occasion  alterations  in  all  these  ;  but 
in  every  stage  his  feelings,  decisions,  and  actions 
will  be  shaped  by  the  motives  which  have  most  in- 
fluence with  the  disposition. 

Now  combine  these  three  ideas  in  a  single  case. 
A  man,  under  the  influence  of  a  bad  disposition, 
and  wicked  feelings  thence  arising,  finds  stronger 
motives  to  desert  his  family  than  to  stay  at  home. 
Of  course  he  will  desert  them.  On  his  way  he  is 
overtaken  by  a  friend  who  has  come  after  him  to 
persuade  him  back.  But  it  happens  that  all  the 
motives  which  are  urged  have  less  influence  than 
those  which  hurry  the  wretch  away.  I  ask  now 
whether  that  man  has  power  to  return  ?  Can  he 
yield  to  the  motives  presented  ?  He  will  not  yield 
while  his  feelings  remain  the  same.  Can  he  alter 
his  feelings  ?  He  will  not  alter  them  while  his 
disposition  remains  the  same,  and  the  same  motives, 
with  the  same  degree  of  clearness,  are  before  him. 
Can  he  change  his  disposition?  In  a  word,  can 
the  man,  while  assailed  by  no  other  motives,  alter 
his  purpose  and  return  ?  If  you  say  he  lias  not 
power,  you  decide  that  no  man  can  feel  or  act  in 
any  ease  differently  from  what  he  does  :  and  what 
is  this  but  establishing  a  system  of  the  grossest  fa- 
tality ?  If  you  say  he  has  power,  precisely  in  Uiq 
eainc  sense  are  sinners  able  to  love  and  obey  God. 
33 


258  THE   PLEA   of  [lect.  X. 

Accordingly  the  Bible  from  first  to  last  treats 
them  as  beings  possessed  of  ample  power.  It 
invites  them  :  "  Look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  the  ends  of  the  earth."  "  The  Spirit  and  the 
bride  say,  Come ;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say. 
Come  ;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  and  wlw- 
soever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 
It  expostulates  with  them  :  "As  1  live,  saith  the 
Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wick- 
ed, but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live  : 
turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways,  for  why  will 
ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?"  It  laments  over  them  : 
Ci  O  that  they  wrere  wise !  that  they  understood  this  ! 
that  they  ivould  consider  their  latter  end  !"  "  lie 
beheld  the  city  and  wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou 
hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day, 
the  tilings  which  belong  to  thy  peace  !  but  nowr 
they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."*  And  after  all 
have  men  no  more  power  to  turn  to  God  than  to 
make  a  world  ?  Do  these  heavenly  entreaties  only 
mock  their  miseries  ?  Do  they  only  tantalize  un- 
happy prisoners  bound  with  fetters  of  iron  ? 

But  this  is  not  the  worst.  God  absolutely  com- 
mands  sinners  to  love  and  submit  to  Him,  to  repent 
and  believe  the  Gospel.  The  law,  which  was 
'*  not  made  for  a  righteous  man,  but  for  the  lawless 
and  disobedient,"  which  "  was  added  because  of 
transgressions,"  says  to  every  sinner,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 

*  Deut.  xxxii.  29.    IsaL  xlv.  22.    Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.    Luke  xix.  41, 
4?.    Rev.  xxli.  XT. 


I.ECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  259 

all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  might."  And  what 
says  the  Gospel  ?  God  "  now  commandeth  all  men 
every  where  to  repent"  "  Repent  ye  and  believe." 
Sinners  are  even  commanded  to  change  their  own 
hearts :  u  Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit, 
for  why  will  ye  die?"  " Circumcise — the  foreskin  of 
your  heart."  "Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts."  "  Rend  your 
heart  and  not  your  garments."  "Purify  your 
hearts,  ye  double-minded."*  These  things  God 
commands  :  and  does  He  require  impossibilities  ? 
Then  sinners  have  got  their  case  in  the  long  dispute 
which  they  have  been  carrying  on  with  their  J\Takei\ 
Nor  is  this  all.  God  not  only  commands,  He 
solemnly  threatens  eternal  death  in  case  of  dis- 
obedience. "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  let  him  he  anathema  maranatha."  "Ex- 
cept ye  repent  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  "  He 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  He  not  only 
threatens,  but  He  executes.  He  actually  sends  sin- 
ners  to  eternal  perdition  for  no  other  reason  than, 
because  they  do  not  obey  these  commands.  And 
still  are  they  unable  ?  Are  they  eternally  punished 
for  not  doing  impossibilities  ?  What  then  do  you 
make  of  God  ?  Were  vou  to  see  a  master  beating 
his  servant  a  whole  day  together  for  not  lifting  a 
mountain,  you  would  say  the  man  was  mad.  And 
does  God  lay  upon  His  creatures  eternal  punish 

*  Deut.  vi.  5.  and  x.  16.  Isai.  lv.  7.  .Tor.  iv.  4.  Ezek.  xviii.  31. 
Joelii.  13.  Mark  i.  15.  Acts  xvii.  30.  Gal.  iii.  19.  1  Tim.  L  9. 
James  iv  8. 


260  THE   PLEA    0¥  [LECT.  Xi 

ment  for  not  doing  what  is  utterly  impossible  ?  Is 
this  the  God  whom  angels  love  and  adore  ?  Nero 
was  a  lamb  to  this  ! 

Some  have  attempted  to  justify  this  supposed 
conduct  of  the  Most  High,  by  alleging  that  sinners 
have  destroyed  their  own  power,  and  may  therefore 
be  justly  held  bound  to  do  all  that  they  originally 
wore  able.  "  If  a  servant,"  say  they,  "  has  cut 
off  his  hands  to  avoid  labour,  may  not  his  mas- 
ter still  require  his  task,  and  daily  punish  him 
for  neglecting  it?"  I  firmly  answer,  J\To*  He 
may  punish  him  for  disabling  himself;  (that  is 
the  whole  of  his  crime  :J  but  if  he  daily  abuses 
the  cripple  for  not  performing  his  task  after 
it  has  become  impossible,  he  is  a  tyrant  and 
a  monster.  But  the  case  is  still  stronger  when 
you  take  into  account  the  entailment  of  depravi- 
ty. The  servant  did  not  cut  off  his  oavii  hands : 
his  mother  in  a  sinful  enterprise  fell  with  him  be- 
fore he  was  born,  and  he  was  brought  into  the 
world  a  cripple :  and  now  he  must  be  unmer- 
cifully punished  every  day  of  his  life  for  not  em- 
ploying limbs  which  he  never  had.  Is  this  a 
picture  of  the  moral  government  of  God  !  Head 
any  page  in  the  Bible,  and  then  say, — is  this  the 
government  which   that  book   describes? 

I  hear  some  one  say,  You  may  reason  me 
down,  but  after  all  it  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  I 
cannot.  How  do  you  know  this  ?  Hid  you  ever 
try?  Hid  you  ever  try  with  all  your  heart? 
Have  you  ever   done    as   well  as  you   could  for  • 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  S6i 

a  single  hour  ?  For  a  single  hour  did  you  ever 
keep  your  thoughts  as  much  on  God,  and  ex- 
ert as  much  earnestness  in  prayer,  and  feel  as 
kindly  towards  God  and  man,  as  you  were  ahle  ? 
Have  you  done  this  for  a  whole  month  together  ? 
Have  you  done  it  through  life?  If  not,  it  is 
not  for  you  to  complain  that  you  have  no  power. 
No  power !  Alas  !  as  you  use  power  you  have 
too  much.  You  have  power  to  resist, — to  resist 
so  vigorously  that  nothing  hut  the  arm  of  God 
can  conquer  you.  This  is  the  only  thing  that  pre- 
vents you  from  loving  and  submitting  to  Him. 
Do  you  not  resist  ?  Why  it  is  as  plain  as  light 
that  you  will  not  even  be  convicted.  What  is  con- 
viction? It  is  a  deep  sense  of  being  without  ex- 
cuse.  And  when  we  attempt  to  penetrate  you 
with  this  sense,  here  you  are  defending  yourself 
against  it  with  all  your  might, — and  then  turn  and 
complain  that  you  have  no  power!  The  truth 
itself  would  have  convicted  you  long  ago  if  you 
had  not  resisted.  Like  the  ever-flowing  light  of 
heaven,  it  would  freely  have  come  in  at  your 
window  if  you  had  not  barred  the  passage.  "  TJiis 
is  the  condemnation,  [not  that  you  cannot  obtain 
light,  but]  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,"' 
and  you  have  "  loved  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  [your]  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one 
that  doth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to 
the  light  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved."*  So 
the   nightly   thief,   for   whom   you   arc   searching 

*  John   iii.    19,  20. 


262  THE    PLEA    01*  [LECT.  X. 

in  your  apartments,  will  endeavour  to  strike  tho 
lamp  from  your  hand  lest  the  light  should  de- 
tect him.  The  truth  is  you  cannot  hear  to 
take  the  blame  upon  yourself.  You  will  cast 
it  upon  Adam,  upon  God,  any  where  but  where 
it  ought  to  lie.  And  after  all  these  exertions  to 
resist  conviction,  you  will  make  a  long  list  of 
excuses  for  not  being  convicted,  and  lament 
over  it  as  your  misfortune  and  not  your  fault. 
But,  (to  turn  the  subject  over  for  another  view,) 
pray  what  prevents  that  deep  sense  of  divine 
things  which  is  the  conviction  itself,  but  your 
unbelief  ?  And  is  unbelief  to  be  admitted  as  an 
excuse  for  stupidity?  Does  God  regard  it  in 
the  light  of  an  excuse  ?  No,  He  charges  it 
upon  you  as  your  own  proper  crime,  a  crime  of 
the  deepest  die.  He  pronounces  it  worthy  of 
eternal  rebuke,  and  solemnly  declares,  "  He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  Such  is  the  ene- 
my which  bars  your  heart  against  conviction ;  and 
when  an  attempt  is  made  to  dislodge  the  foe,  you 
stand  forward  to  protect  it  by  your  thousand  ex- 
cuses ;  and  then  say,  you  would  give  the  world 
to   be    convicted   but   have  no  power. 

(3.)  This  plea  is  impious.  It  casts  all  the 
infamy  of  the  sinner- s  rebellion  on  God,  and  im- 
putes to  Him  a  character  which  the  veriest  tyrant 
on  earth  would  blush  to  own, — a  character,  1  may 
say,  as  black  as  Satan  himself.  The  language 
is,  "  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art  a  hard  master, 
requiring   more  than  thy  creatures   can   perform, 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  263 

and  punishing  them  with  eternal  torment  for  not 
doing  impossibilities.  By  offering  life  on  such  con- 
ditions, thou  hast  only  mocked  my  misery  ;  and 
though  I  must  suffer  forever,  I  still  affirm  that 
for  missing  salvation  I  am  not  to  blame."  The 
great  point  in  dispute  between  you  and  your 
Maker  is,  who  shall  bear  the  blame.  He  lays 
it  upon  you,  you  cast  it  upon  Him.  On  this 
question  the  parties  are  fairly  at  issue.  Blame,  ab- 
solutely infinite,  must  attach  to  one  or  the  other ; 
because  endless  misery  is  actually  threatened  and 
inflicted.  If  that  misery  is  not  deserved,  infinite 
blame  attaches  to  Him  who  inflicts  it ;  if  it  is  de- 
served, infinite  guilt  rests  on  the  sufferer.  God 
declares  that  He  will  lay  all  this  evil  upon  you  for 
not  making  to  yourself  a  new  heart,  not  loving 
and  submitting  to  Him,  not  repenting  and  believ- 
ing the  Gospel.  In  this  He  charges  infinite  guilt 
on  you.  You  affirm  that  you  cannot  perforin 
these  duties,  and  are  not  to  blame  for  the  neglect. 
In  this  you  accuse  Him  of  being  the  greatest  ty- 
rant that  ever  alarmed  a  distempered  imagination- 
Here  then  is  perfect  war.  No  two  men  were  ever 
more  earnestly  at  strife.  And  yet  you  say  you 
are  not  His  enemy.  I  appeal  to  the  universe  if 
this  is  not  enmity  and  Avar,  if  this  is  not  high 
treason  against  God  in  its  most   horrid   form. 

(3.)  This  plea  is  ruinous.  It  is  only  an 
exertion  to  steel  your  conscience  against  a  sense 
of  blame  ;  and  while  you  succeed,  you  never  can 
be  convicted.     While  you  say  you   cannot,   yau 


26k  THE    PLEA    OF  [LECT.  X. 

never  can.  The  main  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
conviction,  and  of  course  one  grand  impediment 
in  the  way  of  conversion,  is  this  very  plea.  The 
removal  of  it  is  the  conviction  itself.  The  re- 
moval of  it  is  therefore  clearing  away  one  of 
the  greatest  obstructions  to  your  salvation.  This 
obstruction  must  be  removed.  You  must  take 
the  shame  and  blame  to  yourself,  and  clear  your 
Maker,  or  nothing  can  ever  be  done  for  you. 
While  you  are  striving  to  cover  yourself  with 
this  excuse,  you  know  not  what  you  do ;  you 
are  taking  the  readiest  way  to  ruin  yourself  forever. 
If  you  would  not  perpetrate  the  highest  act  of 
suicide,  court  this  conviction,  lie  down  under  a. 
sense  that  you  are  without  excuse,  and  draw  it 
upon  you  with  all  your  might.  This  is  the 
first  step  that  you  can  take.  If  you  will  not 
take  this,  but  will  stand  justifying  yourself  till 
you  die,   you  must  inevitably  perish. 

(4.)  The  plea  is  insincere.  The  worst  of  it 
all  is,  that  after  so  long  abusing  your  Maker 
with  these  horrid  charges,  you  do  not  believe, 
a  word  of  them  yourself.  If  you  did,  you 
would  not  remain  so  unmoved  ;  you  would  be 
overwhelmed  with  terrour  and  dismay.  Were 
a  man  locked  up  in  a  burning  house,  and  knew 
the  key  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  merciless  ty- 
rant, you  would  not  see  him  folding  his  arms, 
and  walking  at  his  ease  about  the  apartments. 
When  we  see  your  knees  smite  like  Belshaz- 
zar?s,    we    shall    besfui    to    believe    you    sincere. 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  265 

But  while  you  continue  sporting  along  the  road 
of  life  without  one  anxious  thought  of  God  or 
eternity,  we  know  that  your  plea  is  nothing  but 
a  pretence  to  protect  your  stupidity.  You  do 
not  even  believe  that  you  are  dependant.  Would 
to  God  you  did  !  You  would  not  then  treat  the 
Sovereign  of  the  universe  with  all  this  abuse. 
You  would  not  then  thus  boldly  cast  off  fear  and 
restrain  prayer.  We  should  hear  you  crying  for 
mercy  with  the  earnestness  of  a  dying  man. — But 
the  insincerity  of  this  plea  will  be  still  more  evi- 
dent when  we  consider, 

(;?.)  How  much  at  variance  it  is  with  other 
things  uttered  by  the  same  lips.  At  the  moment 
you  urge  this  excuse,  you  deny  the  doctrine  of 
Election.  Now  if  what  you  say  is  true,  that  you 
are  as  unable  to  obey  the  Gospel  as  a  dead  man  is 
to  rise,  certainly  your  salvation  depends  on  God; 
and  if  He  is  unchangeable,  it  depends  on  His  eter- 
nal will  or  decree  :  and  this  is  Election.  The 
doctrine  of  Election  follows  from  your  plea  in  a  far 
more  terriiick  form  than  that  in  which  I  have  pre- 
sented it.  And  yet  you  urge  the  plea  and  reject 
the  doctrine.  You  will  neither  consent  to  have 
power  yourself,  nor  leave  your  fate  with  God.  If 
we  say  you  have  power,  and  urge  you  to  act,  you 
deny,  and  plead  your  inability  as  an  excuse  for  do- 
ing nothing.  If  we  say  you  are  dependant,  (though 
in  a  far  inferior  sense,)  and  speak  of  Election, 
(which  is  an  inevitable  consequence  of  your  depen- 
dance,)  you  again  deny  and  complain.  My  dear 
34 


-66  THE   PLEA   Of  [LECT.  X, 

hearer,  what  do  you  want?  u  We  have  piped  unto 
you,  and  ye  have  not  danced  ;  we  have  mourned 
unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  lamented."  You  will 
neither  have  it  that  you  can  turn  yourself,  nor  that 
it  depends  on  the  eternal,  unchangeable  God  to 
turn  you.  How  then  would  you  have  it?  You 
plainly  know  not  your  own  mind,  and  seem  settled 
in  nothing  but  to  resist  every  truth  that  happens  to 
displease  you.  To  engage  in  the  divine  service,  is 
loathsome,  and  that  you  Avill  not  do ;  to  bear  the 
blame  of  refusing,  you  cannot  consent ;  and  there- 
fore you  take  shelter  in  the  plea  of  inability  :  to  be 
dependant  on  God's  eternal  choice,  is  insufferable 
to  your  feelings,  (though  this  unavoidably  follows 
from  your  own  plea ;)  and  therefore  you  oppose 
Election.  The  three  things  which  you  desire  are 
these  5  to  be  excused  from  the  divine  service,  to  be 
exonerated  from  the  blame  of  neglecting  it,  and  to 
hold  your  fate  in  your  own  hands.  When  you 
would  avoid  the  imputation  of  blame,  you  are  will- 
ing to  have  no  power ;  but  as  little  power  as  you 
have,  you  insist  on  deciding  your  own  fate.  We 
may  explain  Election  till  we  die,  and  so  long  as 
we  leave  your  destiny  in  the  hands  of  a  sovereign 
God,  you  are  not  satisfied.  We  may  heap  proof 
upon  proof  to  establish  the  point  of  your  ability, 
and  so  long  as  the  argument  attaches  blame  to  you, 
you  are  not  convinced.  Whenever  you  are  brought 
to  a  serious  concern  about  religion,  then  indeed  the 
case  is  somewhat  altered.  Then  your  sole  desire 
is  to  be  suffered  to  do  something  short  of  Jove  and 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  2G7 

faith,  and  to  induce  God  by  that  means  to  change 
your  heart  and  save  your  soul.  To  be  told  that 
you  cannot  induce  Him  by  such  a  withered  offering, 
gives  you  distress  ;  to  be  urged  to  do  more,  you 
will  not  consent.  But  let  me  tell  you  that  this  hope 
of  moving  God  by  any  act  that  does  not  rest  on 
Christ,  is  the  very  definition  of  self -righteousness. 
Yet  here  you  linger,  and  here  you  wish  ministers  to 
leave  you.  But  if  we  leave  you  there,  you  are  un- 
done. If  that  self-righteousness  is  not  torn  from 
yon,  it  will  forever  keep  you  from  Christ.  We 
must  still  follow  you  with  loud  and  repeated  warn- 
ings not  to  stop  short  of  a  full  reliance  on  the  Me- 
diator; and  when  you  refuse,  we  must  show  you 
that  your  obstinacy  casts  you  dependant  on  sove- 
reign grace.  And  when  we  do  this,  you  will  pro- 
bably say  that  we  contradict  ourselves,  and  preach 
that  vou  can  and  that  vou  cannot. 

(6.)  This  plea,  if  it  were  true,  ivould  only  con- 
demn you.  It  was  a  miserable  excuse  for  the 
slothful  servant,  that  because  he  expected  Iris  lord 
would  require  exorbitant  interest,  he  had  taken 
care  that  he  should  have  none.  Was  this  the  way 
to  deal  with  a  hard  master  who  had  him  in  his 
power  ?  The  plea  condemned  himself.  If  it  were 
true,  he  ought  to  have  put  his  money  to  the  ex- 
changers, and  swelled  the  amount  to  the  last  limit 
of  his  power.  Sinner,  this  retort  was  intended  for 
you.  If  you  have  a  Master  in  heaven  who  re- 
quires more  than  you  can  perform,  is  tins  a  good 
reason  why  you  should  do   nothing?    why  you 


268  THE    PLEA    OF  [LECT.  X. 

should  do  so  much  against  Iliin  ?  Is  it  a  good 
reason  why  you  should  never  pray  in  your  family, 
and  seldom  in  your  closet  ?  why  you  should  not 
look  into  your  Bible  once  a  week  ?  why  you  should 
never  attend  a  religious  meeting  except  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  then  perhaps  but  once  a  day  ?  If  you 
cannot  change  your  heart,  are  you  therefore  obliged 
to  push  God  out  of  all  your  thoughts?  to  feel  so 
little  reverence  for  Him  and  His  institutions  ?  to 
profane  His  holy  day  ?  to  utter  so  many  cavils 
against  His  Word?  to  violate  so  often,  in  your  deal- 
ings and  conversation,  the  rule  of  doing  to  others 
as  you  would  have  others  do  to  you  ?  to  utter  so 
much  slander  and  profanity  ?  and  to  commit  in  vari- 
ous ways  so  many  positive  sins  ?  To  live  altoge- 
ther to  yourself,, and  never  regard  His  glory  at  all, — 
is  this  the  way  to  treat  a  hard  master  who  has  you 
in  his  power?  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  shalt  thou 
be  judged,  thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant.  If 
your  plea  is  true,  your  conduct  is  mad. 

Thus  I  have  finished  what  was  proposed.  I  have- 
shown  that  this  allegation  against  God  is  false,  is 
impious,  is  ruinous,  is  insincere,  is  at  variance  with 
other  tilings  uttered  by  the  same  lips,  and  is  self 
condemning  if  true.  And  now  suffer  me  to  be- 
seech those  of  you  who  remain  in  sin,  to  renounce 
this  God -provoking  plea,  and  acknowledge  your- 
selves infinitely  to  blame  for  not  being  convicted, 
for  not  instantly  performing  the  duties  of  repentance 
and  faith.  Between  the  full  charge  contained  in 
ihis  horrid  plea,  and  this  frank  acknowledgment, 


LECT.  X.]  INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  269 

there  is  no  middle  ground.  It  is  undeniable  that 
for  only  remaining  unconverted,  I  may  say,  uncon- 
victed, this  one  hour  in  the  house  of  God,  you 
deserve  eternal  death.  And  will  you  still  attempt 
to  justify  yourselves  and  cast  the  blame  on  Him  ? 
After  He  has  given  you  full  power  to  serve  Him, 
and  redeemed  you  from  death,  and  offered  you  life, 
and  pressed  it  upon  you,  and  granted  you  abun- 
dant light,  and  you  have  resisted  all,  shall  He 
bear  the  blame,  and  you  be  excused  ?  Ho  you  in- 
sist on  this  ?  Then  you  and  your  Maker  are  at 
open  war.  And  the  contest  must  last  forever,  or 
one  of  the  parties  must  yield.  Shall  God  submit 
to  you  ?  or  will  you  submit  to  Him  ?  If  this  con- 
troversy goes  to  trial  at  the  Last  Hay,  I  forewarn 
you  now  that  the  case  will  go  against  you.  The 
sentence  of  every  holy  being  in  the  universe  will 
be  against  you.  The  conscience  of  every  repro- 
bate,— your  own  conscience, — will  be  against  you. 
0  agree  with  your  Adversary  quickly,  while  you 
arc  in  the  way  with  Him.  "  As  though  God  did 
beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  steady 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God  !" 

I  have  told  you  your  duty  ;  and  for  neglecting  it 
you  have  no  excuse.  But  well  I  know  that  till  the 
grace  of  God  subdues  you,  your  obstinacy  will  re- 
sist all  entreaties.  This  casts  you  at  last,  ruined, 
utterly  ruined,  se/f-ruined,  on  the  sovereign  will  of 
God, — a  will  which  all  creation  cannot  change. 
At  the  moment  you  are  supporting  this  impious 
warfare  with  your  Maker,  mortal  man,  you   are 


£/0  THE    PLEA,    &C.  [LECT.  X. 

altogether  in  His  hands  !  If  He  hut  frown  you 
die.  In  that  condition  I  leave  you, — with  these 
words  ringing  in  your  ears,  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast 
destroyed  thyself,  hut  in  me  is  thine  help."  O 
Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself  hut  in  me,  in 
me  alone  is  thine  help.     Amen. 


LECTURE  XL 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 


ROMANS  VIII.  30. 

VTEOM  HE  DID  riiEDESTINATE,  THEM  HE  ALSO  CALLED  ;  AVD  WHOM  HE 
CALLED,  THEM  HE  ALSO  JUSTIFIED;  AND  WHOM  HE  JUSTIFIED,  THEJI 
HE   ALSO    GLORIFIED. 

After  what  has  been  proved  in  former  Lec- 
tures in  regard  to  Election,  the  question  respecting 
the  Perseverance  of  the  Saints  is  reduced  to  this  : 
Are  any  regenerated  besides  the  elect  P  For  if  none 
but  the  elect  are  regenerated,  none  of  the  regene- 
rate can  finally  apostatize.  I  presume  no  good 
reason  can  be  given  why  any  should  be  "  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,"  who  are  not  to 
be  "kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto 
salvation;" — why  any  should  be  raised  from  the 
dead  only  to  return  to  their  graves.  But  our  text 
puts  this  question  to  rest.  Here  we  are  plainly 
taught  that  all  who  are  elected  are  effectually  call- 
ed; that  all  who  are  effectually  called  are  justified; 
that  all  who  are  justified  are  glorified ;  therefore 
that  the  elect  alone  are  regenerated,  and  that  all 


S7S  SEVERANCE  [r.ECT.    XI. 

who  arc  regenerated  are  finally  saved.  The  apostle 
introduces  the  subject  by  saying,  "  We  know  that 
all  things  work  together  for  good,  [for  salvation, 
not  for  destruction,]  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
who  are  the  called  according  to  His  purpose.  For 
whom  He  did  foreknow,  [as  His  own,  not  as  being 
holy  ;  for  the  predestination  which  followed  ap- 
pointed them  to  this  character,']  He  also  did  pre- 
destinate to  he  conformed  to  the  image  of  His  Son, 
that  He  might  be  the  first-born  among  many  breth- 
ren. Moreover,  whom  He  did  predestinate,  them 
He  also  called;  and  whom  He  called,  them  He 
also  justified  ;  and  whom  He  justified,  them  He 
also  glorified."  The  apostle  then  breaks  forth  in- 
to  this  triumphant  language,  "  Who  shall  separate 
ns  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or 
distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness, 
or  peril,  or  sword  ? — Nay,  in  all  these  things  we 
are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved 
us.  For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor 
life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor 
things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  se- 
parate us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord."  Here  you  see  joined  in  one 
chain  four  indissoluble  links,  viz.  Election,  effec- 
tual calling,  justification,  and  glorification.  The 
elect  only  are  effectually  called,  and  all  that  are 
effectually  called  are  glorified. 

With  this  passage  before  us  it  becomes  mani- 
fest that  the  doctrine  of  Perseverance  stands  inse- 


VECT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  2/'3 

parably  connected  with  that  of  Election.  If  one 
has  been  established,  the  other  follows  of  course. 
And  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  I  know  not 
that  any  one  in  his  senses  ever  doubted  of  the  Per- 
severance of  the  Saints,  who  believed  in  absolute, 
personal  Election. 

In  another  point  of  view  the  foregoing  Lectures 
have  prepared  the  way  for  a  ready  belief  of  this 
article.  They  have  made  it  apparent  that  in  every 
step  towards  salvation  God  moves  first,  and  the 
creature  afterwards, — that  men  advance  just  as 
far  as  they  are  propelled  by  divine  power,  and  no 
further.  The  most  negligent  go  thus  far,  because 
God  is  stronger  than  they ;  the  most  vigilant  go  no 
further,  because  in  them,  that  is  in  their  flesh, 
dwelleih  no  good  thing.  The  difference  between 
the  slothful  and  the  diligent  is  made  entirely  by 
divine  influence.  If  then  any  of  the  regenerate 
apostatize,  it  is  because  God  changes  His  conduct 
towards  them,  and  withdraws  His  influence.  Now 
they  who  have  maintained  the  hypothesis  of  falling 
from  grace,  have  always  told  you  that  the  Chris- 
tian breaks  away  from  God,  not  God  f win  him, — 
that  till  we  first  forsake  God  lie  will  never  forsake 
tis  ;  thus  placing  in  the  creature  the  reason  that 
the  divine  influence  does  not  continue  to  be  effec- 
tual. But  the  truth  is,  that  influence  does  continue 
to  be  effectual  as  long  as  it  is  exerted,  (as  has  been 
proved  in  former  Lectures ;)  and  it*  the  Christian 
apostatizes,  it  is  because  that  influence  first  forsakes 
him.     The  old  nature  is  so  averse  to  the  heavenly 


37"t  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  XI. 

course,  that  the  host  man  will  not  advance  a  step 
further  than  he  is  propelled  ;  and  so  far  the  worst 
will  certainly  go  ;  for  God's  propelling  hand,  if 
it  does  any  thing,  overcomes  the  resistance,  and 
makes  His  people  willing  in  the  day  of  His  power. 
As  far  as  His  sanctifying  influence  is  exerted,  it 
always  produces  this  effect.  None  are  willing 
further  than  God  makes  them  willing  ;  all  are  will- 
ing thus  far.  If  any  cease  to  he  willing  and  apos- 
tatize, it  is  hecause  He  ceases  to  make  them  will- 
ing. The  change  must  commence  on  His  part. 
No  one,  I  believe,  with  this  view  of  divine  and 
human  agency,  ever  doubted  of  the  Perseverance 
of  the   Saints. 

The  question  then  really  comes  to  this  :  Does 
God,  after  changing  the  hearts  of  sinners,  relin- 
quish the  work  which  He  lias  begun?  and  that 
too  as  the  first  mover  in  this  process  of  undo- 
ing, and  without  any  special  cause  given  Him  by 
the  creature?  I  say,  without  any  special  cause 
given  Him  by  the  creature,  for  such  a  special  cause 
presupposes  the  partial  withdrawment  of  His  in- 
fluence. The  best  man  sins  iust  as  far  as  God 
leaves  him,  and  opportunity  and  motives  occur ; 
as  fat  as  God's  sanctifying  influence  is  exerted,  the 
worst  man  is  preserved  from  sin.  Any  special 
sinfulness  in  a  Christian,  therefore,  presupposes  the 
partial  withdrawment  of  that  influence.  Does  God 
then,  as  the  flrst  mover  in  this  retrograde  course, 
and  unprovoked  by  any  special  offence,  withdraw 
from  a  work  which  He  has  begun  ?     This  is  the 


TF.CT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  Sffl 

fair  and  precise  statement  of  the  question.  Not 
whether  He  will  keep  us  if  ice  remain  faithful) 
but  whether  He  will  continue  to  make  us  faithful. 
Not  whether  He  will  desert  us  if  we  provoke  Him, 
but  whether  He  will  suffer  us  to  provoke  Him  thus 
far.  Not  what  His  agency  will  be  as  consequent 
to  ours,  but  what  our  agency  will  be  as  consequent 
to  His.  He  began  the  work  when  there  was  no- 
thing in  the  creature  to  induce  Him,  but  every  thing 
to  dissuade  :  will  He  discontinue  the  work  when 
there  is  less  to  dissuade  than  at  first  ?  In  a  word, 
will  He  begin  a  work,  uninduced  by  the  creature ; 
and  uninduced  by  the  creature,  and  even  less  pro- 
voked, will  He  desert  it? 

This  question  however  cannot  be  decided  by 
reason ;  it  must  be  settled  by  llcvelation  alone. 
Nor  can  it  be  determined  by  the  general  benevo- 
lence of  Cod  even  as  set  forth  in  that  Revelation ; 
for  in  that  exhibition  of  Himself  He  sustains  the 
character  of  One  who  has  in  fact  withdrawn  His 
iniluence  and  left  perfectly  holy  beings  to  fall.  No 
instance  indeed  is  known,  (if  the  case  under  con- 
sideration is  not  one,)  of  His  having  begun  to  sanc- 
tify sinners  and  withdrawn  from  the  work.  But 
after  all  the  question  wholly  turns  on  what  He  has 
promised, — on  the  positive  stipulations  in  His  co- 
venant with  His  Son  and  with  His  people.  If  He 
did  in  fact  promise  His  Son  an  elect  seed,  and  in- 
scribed their  names  in  the  book  of  life  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  :  if  He  promised  Him  thai 
they  "  should  never  perish,"  that  none  should 
•"pluck  them  out  of  [His]   hand.'*    "  that  of  all 


£/fl  PEHSEVERAXCE  [LECT.  XTI> 

which  He"'  bad  "  given"  Him  He  "  should  lose 
nothing  but  sliould  raise  it  up  again  at  the  Last 
Day  ;"*  if  none  but  the  elect  are  regenerated,  as 
our  text  expressly  declares ;  and  if  the  covenant 
made  with  Christians  engages  infallibly  to  keep 
them  from  apostacy ;  then  the  Perseverance  of  the 
Saints  is  secured  beyond  a  possibility  of  failure. 

That  such  a  covenant  was  made  with  Christ  in 
behalf  of  His  elect,  was  proved  in  a  former  Lec- 
ture,! aiuli  is  confirmed  by  the  texts  just  now  quo- 
ted. That  compact  you  may  see  more  largely  dis- 
played in  the  eighty-ninth  Psalm,  under  the  typi- 
cal form  of  a  covenant  with  David.  "I  have 
made  a  covenant  with  my  Chosen  :— thy  seed  will 
I  establish  forever. — Then  thou  spokest  in  vision 
to  thy  Holy  One,  and  saidst,  I  have  laid  help  upon 
One  that  is  mighty  ;  I  have  exalted  One  chosen  out 
of  the  people. — His  seed  also  will  I  make  to  endure 
forever  : — -if  His  children  fur  sake  my  laic,  and 
walk  not  in  my  judgments ;  if  they  break  my 
statutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments  ;  then  witt 
I  visit  their  transgression  with  the  rod,  and  their 
iniquity  with  stripes  ;  nevertheless  my  loving  kind- 
ness will  I  not  utterly  take  from  Him,  nor  suffer 
my  faithfulness  to  fail  "  Such  was  the  everlasting 
covenant :  and  One  of  the  contracting  Parties,  when 
He  was  on  earth,  (that  Beloved  Son  who  never 
asked  in  vain,)  did,  in  the  most  solemn  and  formal 
manner,  in  His  official  character,  lodge  in  heaven  a 

*  John  vi.  39.  and  x.  3—5,  11,  14—16,  26—29. 
f  Page  231,  222. 


LECT.  XT.]  OF    SAINTS.  '■]'} 

prayer  for  the  safe  keeping  of  all  this  elect  seed  to 
the  end  of  the  world  :  u  Glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy 
Son  also  may  glorify  thee.  As  thou  hast  given 
him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eter- 
nal life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him. — 1  pray 
for  them ;  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them 
which  thou  hast  given  me. — Holy  Father,  keep 
through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou  hast  given, 
me,  that  they  may  he  one  as  ice  are. — I  pray  not 
that  thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but" 
that  thou  shouldst  keep  them  from  the  evil. — Sayic- 
tify  them  through  thy  truth. — Neither  pray  I  for 
these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on 
me  through  their  word;  that  they  all  may  be  one, 
as  thou  Father  art  in  me,  and  J  in  thee,  that  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us. — And  the  glory  which  thou 
gavest  me  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  one 
even  as  we  are  one ;  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me, 
that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one,  and  that  the 
world  may  know  that  thou — hast  loved  them,  as  thou 
hast  loved  me.  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me  be  icith  me  where  I  am,  that, 
they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given 
me,"  In  accordance  with  tins  prayer  He  told  His 
disciples,  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  you  should  go 
and  brins:  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should 
remain" 

Had  not  a  seed  been  secured  to  Christ  by  such 
an  absolute  covenant,  He  might  have  entirely  lost 
the  reward  of  His  death.     He  had  no  security  for 


278  PERSEVERANCE  [lECT.  XI. 

a  single  soul  unless  the  covenant  secured  the  whole. 
Remove  now  the  immutable  purpose  and  promise 
of  God,  and  what  binders  the  whole  body  of  be- 
lievers on  earth  from  apostatizing  at  once  ?  The 
Church  may  become  extinct  in  a  single  day.  But 
if  tilings  are  left  thus  uncertain,  what  mean  all  the 
promises  and  oaths  of  God  respecting  the  future 
glory  of  Zion  ? 

In  virtue  of  this  everlasting  covenant  with  the 
Redeemer,  as  soon  as  a  soul  is  united  to  Him  by 
faith,  it  receives  a  sentence  of  justification  which 
forever  frees  it  from  the  condemning  sentence  of 
the  law:  "Ye — are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the 
body  of  Christ,  that  ye  should  be  married  to  another, 
even  to  Him  that  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we 
should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God. — Now  we  are  de- 
livered from  the  law,  (that  being  dead  wherein  we 
were  held.)  that  Ave  should  serve  in  newness  of 
spirit,  and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter. — There 
AtS  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are, 
in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit.  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life 
In  Christ  Jesus,  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death. — Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth. 
Who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that  died, 
yea  rather  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the 
right  band  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession 
for  us.  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ?"  "The  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come,  and  not  the  very  image  of  the  things,  can 
never,  with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year 


LECT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  279 

by  year  continually,  make  the  comers  thereunto 
perfect.  For  then  would  they  not  have  ceased  to 
be  offered?  because  that  the  worshippers,  once 
purged,  should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of 
sins. — Then  said  He,  Lo  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O 
God. — By  the  which  will  ice  are  sanctified  through 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for 
all. — For  by  one  offering  He  hath  perfected  forever 
them  that  are  sanctified.  Whereof  the  Holy  Ghost 
also  is  a  witness  to  us  :  for  after  that  He  had  said 
before,  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with 
them  :  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put 
my  laws  into  their  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will 
I  write  them,  and  their  sins  and  iniquities  will  I 
remember  no  more.  Now  where  remission  of  these 
is,  there  is  no  more  offering  for  sin."  Though  the 
drift  of  this  passage  is  to  prove  that  the  death  of 
Christ,  once  endured,  was  sufficient  to  take  away 
sin  without  being  repeated,  yet  the  argument  is  so 
constructed  as  strongly  to  imply,  what  is  explicitly 
asserted  in  the  text,  that  all  who  by  a  union  to 
Christ  are  once  "  justified,"  are  forever  delivered 
from  condemnation.  Further,  by  this  union  men 
grow  to  Christ  as  "  members  of  His  body,  of  His 
flesh,  and  of  His  bones ;"  and  will  He  suffer  His 
members  to  be  torn  from  His  bleeding  side  ?  At 
the  time  this  union  is  formed,  they  are  u  born  of 
God,"  become  "  sons"  and  "  heirs  of  God,  and 
pint  heirs  with  Christ,"  "  to  an  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible,— and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in 
heaven  for  \Jhem,~]  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of 


880  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  II. 

God  through  faith  unto   salvation."     Henceforth 
their  title  is,  "  no  more  a  servant,  but.a  son." 

YThen  ill  pursuance  of  the  stipulations  with 
His  Son,  God  came  in  time  to  enter  into  covenant 
with  His  people,  He  bound  Himself  to  them  indi- 
vidually as  their  everlasting  God  and  portion,  and 
engaged  to  take  upon  Himself  the  whole  charge 
of  their  salvation.  These  promises  were  not  con- 
ditional, but  absolute.  "  For  when  God  made  pro- 
mise to  Abraham,  because  He  could  swear  by  no 
greater  He  swore  by  Himself,  saying,  Surely 
blessing  I  tcill  bless  thee,  and  multiplying  1  will 
multiply  thee. — For  men  verily  swear  by  the  great- 
er, and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to  them  an  end 
of  all  strife.  Wherein  God  willing  more  abun- 
dantly to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  im- 
mutability of  His  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an 
oath  ;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  was 
impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  strong 
consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  up- 
on the  hope  set  before  us  ;  which  hope  we  have  as 
an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast,  and 
which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vail."  The  co- 
venant which  was  afterwards  made  at  Sinai,  (called 
''  the  law,*'  in  distinction  from  the  Abrahamick 
which  is  called  "  the  promise/')  was  conditional, 
and  of  course  was  broken.  It  was  conditional  or 
it  could  not  have  been  broken.  This  is  the  cove- 
nant alluded  to  in  the  following  remarkable  pas- 
sage :  "  Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house 


LECT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  281 

of  Israel, — not  according'  to  the  [conditional] 
covenant  that  I  made  tenth  their  fathers  in  the  day 
1h at  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  which  my  covenant  they  broke  ; 
— but  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make 
with  the  house  of  Israel,  [an  absolute  one  :]  Af- 
ter those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  /  will  put  my  law 
in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts, 
and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people  ; — for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I 
will  remember  their  sin  no  more, — Tliey  shall 
be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God.  And  I 
wriLL  give  them  one  heart  and  one  way  that  they 
may  fear  me  forever.  And  I  will  make  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  icilh  them  that  I  will  not 
turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good;  but  /will 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts  that  they  shall 
not  depart  from  me."  This  passage  is  twice 
quoted  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  as  compri- 
sing the  tenour  of  the  covenant  established  with 
the  Christian  Church,  which  is  therefore  called  by 
the  apostle  *•  a  better  covenant  [than  that  of  Sinai,] 
— established  upon  better  promises. r*  And  from 
this  he  infers  that  u  by  one  offering"  Christ  has 
"perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified,"  and 
that  ••  the  worshippers,  once  purged,"  have  "no 
more  conscience  of  sins." 

The  same  covenant  is  detailed  in  the  numerous 
promises  to  the  Church  which  are  scattered  through 


*  Chap.  viii.  and  x. 

3(5 


282  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  XT, 

the  Bible.  "  The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield  ; 
the  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory."  "  The 
anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  Him  abideth 
in  you  ; — and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you.  ye  shall 
abide  in  Him"  Among  these  promises  may  be 
reckoned  those  which  inseparably  connect  salva- 
tion with  the  first  exercise  of  grace.  "  When  thou 
hast  found"  wisdom,  [once,]  "  then  there  shall  be 
a  reward,  and  thy  expectation  shall  not  be  cut  off" 
"  For  whoso  [once]  findeth  me  findeth  life,  and 
shall  obtain  favour  of  the  Lord."  "Whosoever 
[once]  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him, 
shall  never  thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give 
him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up 
into  everlasting  life"  "  He  that  comcth  to  me, 
[once,]  shall  never  hunger  ;  and  he  that  believeih 
on  me,  [once,]  shall  never  thirst."  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  [once]  on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  life." 
"  He  that  [once]  belie veth  on  him  that  sent  me, 
hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  untq 
life."  "  This  is  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me, 
that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son  and  [once]  be- 
lieveth  on  Him,  may  have  everlasting  life,  and  I 
will  raise  him  up  at  the  Last  Day"  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little  ones 
a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in  the  name  of  a  disci- 
ple, verily  I  say  unto  you  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose 
his  reward."  Among  these  promises  may  be  reck- 
oned those  which  absolutely  r^cure  to  every  be- 
liever growth  in  grace.     "The  righteous — shall 


LECT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  283 

hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall 
be  stronger  and  stronger."  "  The  path  of  the  just 
is  as  the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more 
unto  the  perfect  day."  "  They  go  from  strength 
to  strength : — blessed  is  the  man  whose  strength  is 
in  thee.'7  "  Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit,  He 
jjurgeth  it  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruity 
Grace  in  the  heart,  as  well  as  in  the  world  at  large, 
is  compared  to  a  little  leaven  gradually  leavening 
the  whole  lump  ; — to  a  grain  of  mustard  seed  which 
grows  up  into  the  largest  of  herbs  ; — to  seed  which 
a  man  cast  into  the  ground,  which  sprung  up  and 
grew  night  and  day,  he  knew  not  how,  bringing 
forth,  "  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the 
full  corn  in  the  ear."  "  The  righteous  shall  flourish 
like  a  palm-tree,  lie  shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Le- 
banon." u  He  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the 
rivers  of  water,  that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in 
his  season  ;  his  leaf  also  shall  not  ivither."  "  He 
shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  that 
spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not 
see  when  heat  eometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green, 
and  shall  not  be  careful  in  the  year  of  drought, 
neither  shall  cease  from  yielding  fruit"  Among 
these  promises  may  be  reckoned  those  which  in 
particular  cases  assured  good  men  of  their  final  sal- 
vation long  before  their  death.  To  Simon  Peter 
it  was  said,  "  Whither  I  go  thou  canst  not  follow 
me  now,  but  thou  shalt  follow  me  afterwards." 
To  the  eleven,  "I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  : 
and  if  1  go  and  prepare  a   place  for  you.  I  will 


284  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  XI. 

come  again  and  receive  you  unto  myself,  thai 
where  I  am  there  ye  may  he  ako"  To  the  church 
in  Sardis,  "Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sar- 
dis  which  have  not  defiled  their  garments  ;  and 
they  shall  walk  with  me  in  ivhite,  for  they  are 
worthy." 

Such  being  the  promises  of  the  "  everlasting 
covenant,"  both  to  Christ  and  the  Church,  it  be- 
comes a  mark  of  God's  covenant  faithfulness  to 
carry  on  the  sanctification  of  His  people  to  the 
end.  "  Who  shall — confirm  you  unto  the  end, 
that  you  may  be  blameless  in  the  day  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ :  God  is  faithful  by  whom  ye  were 
called  unto  the  fellowship  of  His  Son. — There 
hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is  com- 
mon to  man  ;  but  God  is  faithful  who  will  not 
suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able* 
but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to 
escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  "The 
Lord  is  faithful  who  shall  establish  you,  and 
keep  you  from  evil.  And  we  have  confidence 
in  the  Lord  touching  you,  that  ye  both  do  and 
will  do  the  things  which  we  command  vou."  "The 
very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly  :  and  I 
pray  God  your  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body  be 
preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is  He  that  calleth 
you,  who  also  will  do  it." 

To  impress  us  with  a  deeper  sense  of  the  sta- 
bility of  this  covenant  faithfulness,  it  is  expressly 
founded  on  the  unchangeable n ess  of  the  divine  na- 


fcECT".  XI.]  OF   SAINJS.  28;> 

tare  :  "  I  am  the  Lord,  I  change  not,  there  fore  ye 
sons  of  Jacob  are  not  consumed"  On  this  hasis 
rest  of  course  the  immutable  love  and  purpose  so 
often  revealed  in  passages  like  these :  "  Having 
loved  His  own  which  were  in  the  world,  He  loved 
them  unto  the  end."  "  As  touching  the  election 
they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sokes;  for  the  gifts 
and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance." 

In  this  unchanging  faithfulness  of  God  the 
most  enlightened  saints  have  always  confided,  for 
the  completion  both  of  their  own  salvation  and  that 
of  others.  For  the  completion  of  their  own  sal- 
vation :  "  Thou  shall  guide  me  with  thy  counsel" 
said  Asaph,  "  and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory. 
— My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth,  but  God  is  the 
strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  forever." 
u  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,"  said  Paul,  "  and 
I  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day. — 
The  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from  every  evil  work, 
and  will  preserve  me  unto  His  heavenly  kingdom. 
— Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge, 
shall  give  me  at  that  day." — For  the  completion  of 
the  salvation  of  others  :  6i  I  thank  my  God  upon 
every  remembrance  of  you,"  said  Paul  to  the  Phi- 
lippians;  "  being  confident  of  this  very  thing, 
that  He  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in 

YOU,  WILL  PERFORM  IT  UNTIL  THE  DAY  OF  JeSUS 

Christ."     David  had  the  same  confidence  in  God 
respecting  the  salvation  of  all  the  saints  :    "  The 


SSG  persevehaxce  [lect.  xi» 

steps  of  a  good  man  are  ordered  by  the  Lord: — 
though  he  fall  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down, 
for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  His  hand."  "  The 
Lord — forsaketk  not  His  saints ;  they  are  preser- 
ved forever." 

There  are  many  passages,  too  numerous  to  be 
quoted,  which  assert  the  doctrine  without  so  dis- 
tinctly bringing  into  view  the  divine  agency.  For 
a  specimen  take  the  following  :  "  A  just  man  fall- 
etli  seven  times,  \_ever  so  often,"]  and  riseth  up 
again/'  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  endu- 
ring forever."  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth 
the  Lord  ; — his  righteousness  endureth  forever. — 
Surely  he  shall  not  be  moved  forever.— His  heart 
is  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord.— His  righteousness 
endureth  forever ;  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  witli 
honour."  "Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part  which 
shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 

If  the  saints  may  finally  apostatize,  what  can 
be  meant  by  " the  full  assurance  of  hope"  which 
all  are  exhorted  to  acquire?  and  by  the  "sure  and 
steadfast"  hope  which  rests  on  the  covenant  of 
(rod  ?  Is  it  merely  a  hope  that  they  may  happen 
to  be  in  a  gracious  state  when  they  die  ?  But  this 
is  the  common  hope  of  the  wicked,  who  nevertheless 
are  said  to  possess  "  no  hope."  What  less  can  it 
mean  than  that  triumphant  confidence,  involving 
the  certainty  of  persevering,  which  Job  expressed 
when  he  said,  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth, 
and  that  He  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the 
earth  :    and  though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy 


LFXT.  XI.]  OF    SAINTS.  287 

this  body,  yet  in  my  flesli  shall  I  see  God ;  whom 
I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  my  eyes  shall  behold, 
and  not  another,  though  my  reins  be  consumed 
within  me.??* 

It  cannot  however  be  denied  that  there  are  many 
passages  of  Scripture  which  warn  Christians  a- 
gainst  apostacy,  which  urge  the  necessity  of  en- 
during to  the  end,  and  some  which,  taken  by  them- 
selves, seem  even  to  speak  as  though  a  truly  right- 
eous man  might  finally  fall.  These  passages  may 
all  be  reduced  to  two  classes  : 

(1.)  Those  which  press  upon  real  Christians 
the  necessity  of  enduring  to  the  end.  These,  so 
far  from  proving  that  they  may  fall  away,  are  the 
very  means  by  which  their  perseverance  is  secured. 
This  may  be  illustrated  by  an  occurrence  in  Paul's 
voyage  to  Rome.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  had  as- 
sured him  that  not  one  of  the  company  should 
perish  ;  and  yet  when  the  sailors  were  deserting 
the  wreck,  Paul  said  to  the  centurion,  u  Except 
these  abide  in  the  ship  ye  cannot  be  saved. ??f     It 

*  Job  xvii.  9.  and  xix.  25 — 27.  Ps.  i.  3.  and  six.  9.  and  xxxvii.  23, 
24,  28.  and  lxxiii.  24,  26.  and  lxxxiv.  5,  7,  11.  and  Ixxxix.  3,  4,  19, 
29 — 33.  and  xcii.  12.  and  cxii.  1,  3,  6,  7,  9.  Prov.  iv.  18.  and  viii.  35. 
and  xxiv.  14.  Jer.  xvii.  8.  and  xxxi.  31 — 34.  and  xxxii.  38 — 40.  Mai. 
iii.  6.  Mat.  x.  42.  and  xiii.  31—33.  Mark  iv.  26—29.  Luke  x.  42. 
John  iii.  36.  and  iv.  14.  and  v.  24.  and  vi.  35,  40.  and  xiii.  1,  36.  and 
xiv.  2,  3.  and  xv.  2,  16.  and  xvii.  1,  2,  9,  11,  15,  17,  20—24.  Pom.  vii.  4, 
6.  and  viii.  1,  2,  14,  15,  17,  33—35.  and  xi.  28,  29.  1  Cor.  i.  8,  9.  and 
x.  13.  Gal.  iii.  16,  17.  and  iv.  7.  F.ph.  ii.  12.  Phil.  i.  3,  6.  1  Thes.  v. 
23,  24.  2Thcs.  iii.  3,  4,  2  Tim.  i.  12.  and  iv.  8,18.  Heb.  vi.  11, 
13—20.  and  viii.  6—13.  and  x.  1,  2,  9,  10,  14—18.  1  Pet  i.  i,  5. 
1  John  ii,  27.  and  iii.  9.    Rev.  iii.  4. 

f  Acts  xxvii.  21—24,  30—32. 


288  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  XI, 

was  certain  that  all  tke  company  would  be  pre- 
served ;  and  it  was  certain  that  the  sailors  would 
continue  in  the  ship  ;  and  this  threat  was  the  very 
means  by  which  the  whole  was  secured.  Now  if 
you  can  find  texts  which  peremptorily  threaten 
real  Christians  with  destruction  in  case  of  apos- 
tacy,  they  furnish  an  instance  exactly  parallel, 
and  no  more  prove  that  real  Christians  will  apos- 
tatize, than  Paul's  threat  proved  that  the  words  of 
the  angel  would  fail. 

(2.)  The  other  class  speak  of  apostacy,  not 
from  real  godliness,  but  from  a  profession,  from 
external  righteousness,  or  from  a  mere  conviction 
of  truth.  Several  of  the  strongest  passages  are 
expressly  limited  to  some  such  meaning  by  their 
own  context.  Take  for  instance  that  memorable 
one  in  the  sixth  of  Hebrews  :  "  It  is  impossible  for 
those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted 
of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God, 
and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall 
fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto  repentance/' 
This  is  probably  the  strongest  passage  to  be  found 
in  the  Bible.  Now  does  this  speak  of  real  Chris- 
tians ?  Certainly  not;  for  to  guard  against  such  a 
construction  it  is  immediately  added,  "But,  be- 
loved, we  are  persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and 
things  that  accompany  salvation,  though  we  thus 
speak  ;  [we  are  persuaded  that  you  arc  real  Chris- 
tians, and  of  course  will  not  be  suffered  to  aposta- 
tize ;]  for  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your 


JLECT.  XT,]  OF    SAINTS.  28{) 

work  and  labour  of  love  :"  He  is  not  so  unfaithful 
to  His  promise  as  to  sutler  those  who  have  given 
undoubted  proofs  of  sincerity  to  perish.  Take 
another  instance  from  the  10th  chapter 'of  the  same 
Epistle  :  "  If  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have 
received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remain 
eth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fear- 
ful looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation 
which  shall  devour  the  adversaries.  He  that 
despised  Moses'  law  died  without  mercy  under 
two  or  three  witnesses  :  of  how  much  sorer  pu- 
nishment, suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  wor- 
thy who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of 
God,  and  hath  counted  tne  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant wherewith  He  was  sanctified  an  unholy  thing, 
and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace. 
— The  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;  but  if  any  man 
draw  back  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him."  Now  does  all  this  prove  that  real  Chris- 
tians may  apostatize?  Certainly  not;  for  it  is  im- 
mediately  added,    'f  But  we  are  not  of  them 

WIIO  DRAW    BACK    UNTO    PERDITION,    BUT    OF   THElt 
THAT    BELIEVE    TO    THE    SAVING    OF    THE    SOUL." 

But  every  question  respecting  the  previous  sanc- 
tiueation  of  apostates,  is  settled  once  for  all  by  a 
single  verse  in  the  First  Epistle  of  John.  There 
were  in  those  days  hereticks  and  profligates  who 
had  withdrawn  from  the  communion  of  the  Church. 
The  question  is,  had  any  of  them  been  real  Chris- 
tians ?  John  tells  you,  in  language  applicable  to 
apostates  in  every  age,  and  that  sweeps  off  all  these 
37 


£90  PERSEVERANCE  [LECT.  XT, 

objections  at  a  stroke  :  "  They  went  out  from 
us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been 
of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with 
its  ;  but  thev  went  out  from  us  that  they  might 

BE  MADE  MANIFEST    THAT    THEY   WERE   NOT  AEL  OF 

us.""*  In  other  words,  had  they  been  veal  Chris- 
tians they  certainly  would  not  have  apostatized. 
This  settles  the  previous  character  of  all  apostates 
to  the  end  of  the  world.  Whatever  number  of  texts 
then  you  may  find  that  speak  of  apostacy,  it  is  now 
ascertained  that  the  apostates  never  were  sanctified. 
It  has  been  said  that  this  doctrine  tends  to 
licentiousness.  Though  after  showing  that  it  is  a 
doctrine  of  the  Bible  JL  am  under  no  obligation  to 
answer  objections,  I  cannot  refrain  from  saying, 
that  such  a  use  can  never  be  made  of  it  by  any  but 
hypocrites.  I  appeal  to  a  million  witnesses  that  a 
holy  heart  feels  no  temptation  thus  to  abuse  this 
heavenly  truth.  I  appeal  to  the  history  of  the 
Church  if  the  holiest  of  men  have  not  believed  it 
without  becoming  licentious, — if  the  principal  part 
of  the  piety  of  past  ages,  especially  since  the  He- 
formation,  has  not  been  connected  with  this  belief. 
I  appeal  to  that  venerable  saint  whose  aged  eye 
daily  looks  towards  heaven  with  "the  full  assurance 
of  hope,"  and  with  full  confidence  in  this  blessed 
truth,  whether  his  assurance  checks  his  hungerings 
after  righteousness, — whether  the  "  perfect  love" 
which  "casteth  out  fear,"   is  ready  to  return  to 

*  1  John  ii.  19, 


LECT.  XI. j  OF   SAINTS*  -'.<! 

sin, — whether  "the  spirit  of  adoption*'  which  con- 
fidently cries,  "Abba  Father/'  is  less  purifying 
than  the  dread  of  the  slave.  I  appeal  to  Paul  on 
his  throne,  whether  the  full  assurance  of  eternal 
glory  prompts  a  wish  to  return  to  pollution,  or 
abates  the  ardour  of  his  love. 

Such  an  abuse  of  the  doctrine  is  indeed  charge- 
able upon  Jiyjiocrites  :  and  to  guard  them,  (and  all 
that  is  wicked  in  Christians,)  against  this  abuse, 
those  very  warnings  against  apostacy  were  issued 
which  you  have  brought  forward  to  disprove  the 
doctrine.  Mark  your  inconsistency  here.  You 
say  the  doctrine  tends  to  licentiousness ;  and  as 
soon  as  the  Bible  issues  warnings  to  guard  it  against 
this  abuse,  and  to  silence  this  complaint,  you  fling 
those  very  warnings  against  the  doctriue.  What 
was  done  by  the  divine  Spirit  to  protect  it  against 
your  own  objection,  you  convert  into  a  new  wea- 
pon of  attack. 

This  subject,  my  Christian  brethren,  opens  to 
view  the  astonishing  grace  of  God,  and  traces  back 
your  salvation  to  its  proper  source,  the  counsels  of 
the  adorable  Trinity.  It  shows  you  where  your 
strength  lies,  and  whence  your  hope  springs.  The 
Father,  who  eternally  gave  you  to  His  Son,  pro- 
mised Him  to  take  the  tendercst  care  of  you  for 
His  sake,  and  to  see  Himself  to  every  part  of  your 
salvation.  He  promised  Him  to  suffer  no  real  evil 
to  befall  you,  to  supply  you  with  every  needed 
good,  and  to  make  you  the  happier  for  every 
event.     He  promised  Him  to  defend  you  againsl 


392 


PERSEVERANCE,  &C. 


[LECT.  XL 


every  enemy,  to  suffer  neither  Satan  nor  your  own 
heart  to  prevail  against  yon,  and  to  bear  you  in 
His  arms  to  the  heavenly  rest.  Your  strength, 
your  hope,  your  salvation,  depend  on  counsels  set- 
tied  in  heaven  infinite  years  before  you  were  born. 
As  sure  as  God  is  faithful,  everlasting  ages  of 
glory  are  before  you.  When  you  have  shed  a  few 
more  tears  in  a  strange  land,  your  feet  shall  stand 
on  Mount  Zion,  and  you  shall  sing  to  your  golden 
harps  the  endless  song  of  grace.  Already  you 
touch  the  sacred  threshold.  Why  go  ye  mourn- 
ing all  the  day  ?  Is  it  for  an  heir  of  glory  to  be 
sad  ?  Lift  up  your  heads  and  rejoice  in  God  your 
Saviour,  and  in  the  everlasting  covenant.  Throw 
away  these  comfortless  hopes  which  you  draw  from 
yourselves,  and  behold  in  the  infinite  resources  of 
the  ever-blessed  Trinity  the  origin  and  completion 
of  your  salvation.  When  you  get  home  to  glory, 
how  will  then  appear  a  Father's  care  !  how  the 
everlasting  covenant  that  drew  you  from  the  pit ! 
Then  will  you  begin  the  song  of  grace.  While  you 
cast  your  crowns  at  His  feet,  as  everlasting  ages 
roll,  you  will  swell  the  song  of  grace.  Let  us  even 
begin  it  here,  and  say,  "Unto  Him  that  loved  us, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and 
hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His 
Father,  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and 
ever.     Amen." 


LECTURE  XII. 


THE  SYSTEM  CONFIRMED  AND  APPLIED, 


GALATIANS  I.  8,  9. 

RUT  THOUGH  WE,  OR  AN  ANGEL  FROM  HEAVEN,  PREACH  ANT  OTHER  GOS- 
TEL  UNTO  YOU  THAN  THAT  WHICH  WE  HAVE  PREACHED  UNTO  YOU, 
LET  HIM  BE  ACCURSED.  AS  WE  SAID  BEFORE,  SO  SAT  I  NOW  AGAIN, 
IF  ANY  MAN  PREACH  ANY  OTHER  GOSPEL  UNTO  YOU  THAN  THAT  YK 
HAVE    RECEIVED,    LET    HIM    BE   ACCURSED, 

The  truths  which  have  been  supported  in  this 
Course  of  Lectures,  are  far  from  constituting  the 
whole  Gospel.  Besides  the  Trinity,  the  atone- 
ment, justification  by  faith,  the  retributions  of  eter- 
nity, and  several  other  cardinal  doctrines  not  taken 
up  in  the  Course,  most  of  the  precepts  of  the  Bible, 
and  all  the  invitations  and  promises,  belong  to  the 
Gospel.  But  I  have  selected  four  articles  of  faith, 
viz.  Total  Depravity,  Regeneration,  Election,  and 
Perseverance,  not  only  because  they  form  an  indis- 
soluble chain,  but  because  if  these  truths  are  be^ 
lieved  and  understood  we  shall  not  be  likely  to  en 
in  regard  to  the  rest.  As  I  passed  along  I  touch- 
ed also  upon  the  Means  of  Grace,  and  the  powers 
of  man,  on  account  of  their  relation  to  the  other  to- 


£94  THE   SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

picks;  but  the  great  hinges  of  the  system,  and  what 
I  had  principally  in  view,  were  these  four.  To 
support  these,  I  laid  in  the  outset  a  foundation  for 
the  whole  system  by  establishing  on  independent 
ground  the  doctrine  of  Total  Depravity.  I  next 
showed  you  that  from  this  truth  followed  the  ana- 
voidable  inference  that  God  must  change  the  heart, 
iminduccd  and  unaided  by  man,  and  must  make 
one  to  differ  from  another  according  to  His  sove- 
reign pleasure ;  all  which  could  not  be  true  if  men 
were  not  totally  depraved.  I  then  proceeded  to 
support  this  view  of  Regeneration  by  plain  and 
positive  declarations  of  Scripture.  I  next  showed 
you  that  from  this  truth  inevitably  followed  the 
doctrine  of  absolute,  personal  Election ;  Which 
could  not  be  true  if  Regeneration  was  not  what  it 
had  been  represented.  I  then  proceeded  to  sup- 
port this  view  of  Election  by  a  great  number  of 
texts  of  the  most  explicit  and  decisive  cast.  I  next 
opened  the  Bible  and  showed  you  that  none  but 
the  elect  are  regenerated.  This  being  settled,  it 
was  apparent  that  from  Election  unavoidably  fol- 
lowed the  Perseverance  of  the  Saints  ;  which  could 
not  be  accounted  for  on  any  oilier  principle.  I  then 
proceeded  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  Perseverance 
by  a  large  array  of  scriptural  proofs ;  a  part  of 
which  supported  the  point  independently,  and  a 
part  showed  its  indissoluble  connexion  with  the 
preceding  article. 

There  still  remain  some   arguments  in  confir- 
mation of  the  whole  svstem,  to  be  drawn  from  the 


LEGT.  Xll.]  CONFIRMED.  890 

analogy  of  faith,  and  some  remarks  illustrative  of 
the  practical  importance  of  the  truths  established; 
That  I  may  glean  up  what  remains,  I  will  attempt, 

I.  To  show,  from  some  additional  considera- 
tions, that  these  four  articles,  as  they  have  been 
explained,  really  belong  to  the  true  Gospel. 

II.  To  prove  that  every  system  which  rejects 
these  four  doctrines,  is   "  another  gospel." 

III.  To  urge  the  infinite  importance  of  ascer- 
taining, by  deep  and  careful  examination,  what  the 
true  Gospel  is. 

I.  I  am  to  show,  from  some  additional  consi- 
derations, that  these  four  articles,  as  they  have  been 
explained,  really  belong  to  the  true  Gospel.  I  say, 
as  they  have  been  explained,  for  the  reasonings 
which  follow  must  be  understood  as  applicable  to 
the  doctrines  in  no  other  than  the  precise  shape  in 
which  they  have  been  exhibited. 

(1.)  It  is  apparent  to  reason  that  these  four 
doctrines  must  stand  or  fall  together.  They  sup- 
port each  other  like  the  different  parts  of  an  arch, 
and  you  cannot  tear  one  away  without  demolishing 
the  whole  structure.  Or  to  use  a  more  exact  illus- 
tration, they  are  inseparable  links  of  a  chain,  of 
which  if  one  is  supported  the  whole  are  supported. 
The  entire  system  must  stand,  or  every  vestige  of 
it  must  be  destroyed.  There  is  as  much  evidence 
that  the  whole  is  true,  as  that  the  whole  is  not  false. 
To  you  who  have  attentively  followed  the  train  of 
reasonings  in  the  foregoing  Lectures,  it  must  be  ap- 
parent that  the  man  who  would  overthrow  one  of 


S96  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

these  articles,  must  demolish  the  four,  and  leave 
not  a  wreck  of  the  system  behind.  Till  one  is 
prepared  to  perform  the  whole  of  this  mighty  task, 
he  ought  to  beware  how  he  undertakes. 

(3.)  These  doctrines,  thus  indissoluble,  are 
separately  supported  by  four  distinct  and  strong 
classes  of  texts.  This  shows  you  the  whole  chain 
supported  by  a  column  under  each  link,  yielding 
to  each  a  fourfold  support.  The  literal  meaning 
of  four  numerous  classes  of  texts  must  be  swept 
away  before  one  of  the  articles  can  fall.  To  bring 
either  of  them  into  doubt,  a  man  must  march 
through  the  Scriptures,  and  twist  into  a  forced 
construction  the  great  body  of  the  Sacred  Writings. 

That  there  are  four  classes  of  texts  which  speak 
severally  of  the  moral  deadness  of  man,  the  new 
'birth,  election,  and  God's  preserving  care  of  His 
saints,  cannot  be  denied.  The  only  question  is, 
what  do  they  mean  ?  What  are  the  four  doctrines 
which  they  support?  In  their  plain,  obvious  mean- 
ing  they  unquestionably  support  such  doctrines  as 
have  been  set  before  you.  Is  the  plain,  obvious 
meaning  the  true  one  ?  This  is  the  only  question 
that  remains  to  be  tried ;  and  this,  if  I  mistake 
not,  may  be  settled,  if  any  thing  can  be  settled, 
beyond  the  power  of  controversy.  At  any  rate  I 
will  try. 

The  general  remark  which  I  have  to  make  is, 
that  if  you  would  get  rid  of  the  plain  interpreta- 
tion, you  must  set  aside  the  obvious  meaning,  not 
of  one,  but  of  four  distinct  classes  of  texts,  rela- 


LECT.  XII.]  CONFIRMED.  297 

ting  to  four  distinct  subjects, — subjects  connected 
by  reason  just  as  they  are  by  the  obvious  meaning 
of  the  texts.  To  display  this  argument  in  a  fair 
and  perspicuous  form,  I  observe, 

[1.]  That  the  four  doctrines,  in  the  shape  in 
which  they  have  been  exhibited,  appear  to  the  eye 
of  reason,  (if  you  will  suffer  the  expression,)  like 
four  timbers  dovetailed  into  each  other.  Now  to 
support  the  construction  which  gives  them  this 
form,  the  Scriptures  join  the  doctrines  contained  in 
the  four  elasses  of  texts,  in  the  same  order,  and  in 
each  case  show  you  plainly  the  mortise  and  the 
joint.  The  junction  of  Total  Depravity  and  Re- 
generation is  exhibited  in  this  text :  "  You  hath 
He  quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins."  The  junction  of  Regeneration  and  Elec- 
tion, in  this  :  "  Whom  He  did  predestinate,  them 
He  also  called."  Or  this  :  "  As  many  as  were  or- 
dained to  eternal  life,  believed."  The  junction  of 
Election  and  Perseverance,  in  this  :  "  Whom  He 
did  predestinate,  them  He  also  called  ;  and  whom 
He  called,  them  He  also— glorified."  But  because 
this  is  the  most  important  joint  of  the  whole,  I  will 
make  it  a  little  more  visible  by  the  following  quo- 
tations :  "  This  is  the  Father's  will,— that  of  all 
which  He  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  Last  Day" 
"  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep.  And  other 
sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  this  fold  :  them  also 
I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice. — But 
ye  believe  not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep. — 
38 


CUS  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

My  sheep  hear  my  voice, — and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father 
which  gave  them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand." 
u  Thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that 
he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast 
given  him. — Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me  he  with  me  where  I  am,  that 
they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given 
me."  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen, 
you,  and  ordained  yon,  that  you  should  go  and 
bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  re- 
main."* 

Perseverance,  thus  jointed  in  upon  Election,  is 
of  course  indissolubly  connected  with  Regenera- 
tion ;  and  this  connexion  is  sometimes  displayed 
without  bringing  Election  into  view:  "Whosoever 
is  horn  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin,  for  His  seed 
remaineth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is 
born  of  God."f 

Here  then  are  the  four  doctrines  as  they  stand 
in  the  Scriptures,  joined  together  in  the  same  or- 
der in  which  they  are  connected  in  these  Lectures. 
This  alone  would  co  far  towards  confirming  the 
construction  which  I  have  given  ;  but  there  is  one 
circumstance  which  establishes  it,  I  should  think, 
beyond  the  reach  of  doubt.  Upon  no  other  possi- 
ble plan  of  construction  can  the  doctrines  contain- 

*  John  vi.  39.  and  x.  15,  16,  26—29.  and  xv.  16.  and  xvii.  2,  24, 
Acts  xiii.  48.    Rom.  viii.  30.    Eph.  ii.  1.        f  1  John  ill.  9, 


LECT.  XII.]  CONFIRMED.  299 

ed  in  the  four  classes  of  texts  be  strung  together 
in  one  indissoluble  chain.  If  you  say  for  instance, 
that  the  moral  deadness  ascribed  to  man  means  a 
pagan  state,  that  Regeneration  is  only  a  conversion 
from  paganism  to  the  knowledge  and  profession  of 
Christianity,  and  that  Election  is  nothing  more 
than  a  selection  of  the  nations  to  be  visited  with 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  ;  here  are  three  links,  but 
where  is  the  fourth  P  Perseverance  is  altogether 
excluded.  But  this  is  plainly  connected  with  the 
rest  as  they  stand  in  the  Bible.  Try  any  other 
plan  of  construction,  and  the  result  will  be  the 
same.  The  more  deeply  this  argument  is  consi- 
dered, the  more  plain  it  will  appear  that  this  con- 
struction must  certainly  be  right.  But  in  confirma- 
tion of  it  I  have  something  still  more  decisive  to 
offer.     I  add, 

[2.]  That  the  doctrines  supported  by  the  most 
obvious  meaning  of  these  four  classes  of  texts, 
growing  together  as  they  do  by  the  inviolable  con- 
nexion of  premiss  and  consequence,  lend  each 
other  an  influence  to  settle  the  construction  abun- 
dantly more  than  fourfold.  That  a  book  in  its  ob- 
vious meaning  should  distinctly  support  a  premiss, 
(say  Total  Depravity,  as  it  has  been  explained  :) 
and  then  by  a  literal  construction  as  plainly  sup- 
port an  inference  deducible  only  from  that  premiss, 
(say  Regeneration,  as  it  has  been  explained  ;)  and 
then  in  its  literal  import  as  decidedly  support  ano- 
ther inference  deductive  only  from  the  former,  (say 
Election,  as  it  has  been  explained  :)    and  then  by 


300  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

a  plain  construction  as  clearly  support  a  third  in- 
ference deducible  only  from  the  second,  (say  Per- 
severance as  it  has  been  explained  :)  and  after  all 
mean  neither,  but  .something  entirely  different ;  is 
vastly  more  incredible  than  that  it  should  speak 
unintelligibly  on  a  single  point  in  instances  equally 
numerous.  There  is  indeed  one  case  which  must 
be  considered  an  exception.  Where  the  writer  is 
labouring  to  support  a  figure  of  speech,  and  carries 
out  the  iigurc  through  the  several  inferences,  nei- 
ther the  premiss  nor  any  of  the  consequences  re- 
quire or  admit  a  literal  construction.  But  no- 
thing of  this  kind  occurs  in  the  present  case.  You 
find  the  texts  belonging  to  each  class  detached,  and 
scattered  through  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New, 
incorporated  with  artless  narratives,  with  proverbs, 
with  sacred  songs,  with  plain  didactick  discourses, 
with  familiar  epistles,  and  with  every  species  of 
composition.  You  might  as  well  say  that  the  whole 
Bible  is  one  figure  of  speech. 

The  strength  of  this  argument  may  he  faintly 
illustrated  by  the  following  case.  You  find  it  as- 
serted twenty  times  in  a  history  of  Modern  Europe, 
that  a  spark  was  communicated  to  a  magazine  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Rome.  The  meaning  of  the 
historian  is  called  in  question.  I  examine  and 
find,  in  different  parts  of  «the  book,  twenty  distinct 
assertions  that  a  dreadful  explosion  was  produced 
by  the  means.  Here  is  a  necessary  consequence 
from  the  premiss  as  first  understood.  You  still 
doubt  the  author's  meaning.     1  examine  again  and 


LECT.  XIT.]  CONFIRMED.  301 

finely  in  detached  parts  of  the  narrative,  twenty  pos- 
itive assertions  that  the  explosion  shook  the  whole 
city  of  Home.  Here  is  another  necessary  conse- 
quence from  the  latter.  You  still  doubt  whether 
the  meaning  in  either  case  is  understood.  I  search 
further  and  find,  dispersed  through  the  history  in 
different  forms,  twenty  plain  declarations  that  the 
whole  city  was  filled  with  consternation,  and  pre- 
sently after  with  loud  inquiries  how  the  magazine 
took  fire.  Here  is  another  necessary  consequence 
from  the  last.  I  now  ask  whether  the  author's 
meaning  is  not  more  indubitably  fixed  than  though 
he  had  repeated  the  first  assertion  eighty  times, 
without  noticing  this  string  of  effects? 

But  even  this  case  does  not  express  the  full 
force  of  the  argument,  for  want  of  a  closer  mutu- 
al connexion  of  the  parts :  for  the  explosion,  the 
shock,  and  the  consternation,  might  have  followed 
from  a  volcano  or  an  earthquake.  Let  us  look 
upon  the  case  as  it  really  stands.  I  bring  a  nu- 
merous class  of  texts  which  plainly,  and  forcibly, 
and  in  all  the  varieties  of  language,  assert  the  doc- 
trine of  Total  Depravity,  in  the  sense  in  which  it 
has  been  explained.  I  fortify  this  proof  with  col- 
lateral points,  that  press  upon  the  doctrine  and 
force  it  into  this  precise  shape;  such  as  the  nature 
of  holiness  and  sin,  the  exclusive  nature  of  love  of 
the  world,  aud  several  other  things  expressly  taught 
in  the  Scriptures.  You  still  doubt  the  correctness 
of  my  construction.  I  tell  you  that  if  1  am  right, 
you  may  expect  to  find  in  the  Bible  a  doctrine  that 


302  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

is  an  unavoidable  inference  from  this,  but  which 
cannot  be  true  if  this  is  false  ;  and  that  is  Regene- 
ration, in  the  sense  in  which  it  has  been  explained. 
To  test  my*  construction  we  go  on  to  search  for 
the  doctrine  of  Regeneration,  and  find  it  sup- 
ported, precisely  in  this  shape,  by  the  obvious 
meaning  of  thirty  or  forty  plain  and  forcible 
texts.  You  doubt  my  construction  of  these 
texts.  I  tell  you  that  if  I  am  right,  you  may 
expect  to  find  in  the  Bible  a  doctrine  that  is 
an  unavoidable  inference  from  the  latter,  but 
which  cannot  be  true  if  the  latter  is  false  ;  and 
that  is  absolute,  personal  Election.  To  test  my 
construction  we  go  on  to  search  for  the  doctrine 
of  absolute,  personal  Election,  and  find  it  sup- 
ported by  the  testimony  of  a  long  catalogue  of 
texts,  in  terms  as  precise  and  explicit  as  any  lan- 
guage can  furnish.  After  all  you  doubt  my  con- 
struction of  these  texts.  I  tell  you  that  I  have 
learned  from  the  Bible  that  none  but  the  elect  are 
regenerated :  if  then  I  am  rigid  in  the  foregoing 
interpretations,  you  may  expect  to  find  in  the  Bi- 
ble a  doctrine  which,  after  this  information,  be- 
comes an  unavoidable  inference  from  absolute,  per- 
sonal Election,  but  which  cannot  be  accounted 
for  on  any  other  principle  ;  and  that  is  the  Perse- 
verance of  the  Saints.  To  test  my  construction 
still  further,  we  go  on  to  search  for  the  doctrine  of 
Perseverance,  and  find  it  supported  by  explicit  de- 
clarations on  almost  every  page  of  the  Bible,  many 
of  which   indissolublv   connect  it  with  absolute, 


LECT.    XII.]  CONFIRMED.  303 

personal  Election.  Now  I  ask,  is  not  this  vastly 
snore  than  a  fourfold  proof  in  favour  of  the  con- 
struction given  to  each  of  the  four  classes?  Had 
the  whole  number  of  texts  been  exclusively  appro- 
priated to  support  any  one  of  these  doctrines,  they 
certainly  would  have  yielded  it  far  less  support 
than  they  now  do  ;  for  then  they  might  have  been 
more  easily  explained  away.  There  would  have 
been  but  one  check  to  such  an  attempt,  now  there 
are  four,  and  placed  in  such  a  relation  to  eac*h 
other  as  to  have  incomparably  more  than  four 
times  the  influence  of  one. 

Suffer  me  to  make  another  illustration  of  this 
argument,  which  comes  a  little  nearer  the  truth 
than  the  one  before  attempted.  A  man  appears  in 
America,  by  the  name  of  Luke,  claiming  to  be  a 
prophet,  and  gives  many  decisive  proofs  of  a  di- 
vine mission.  You  doubt  the  correctness  of  his 
claims.  He  says,  "  By  this  you  shall  know  :  if  I 
am  a  prophet  there  is  a  child  born  to-day  at  such 
a  place  in  Europe,  by  the  name  of  John,  who  is  a 
prophet  too."  You  hasten  to  the  place,  and  find 
the  child  giving  abundant  proof  of  miraculous 
powers,  and  constantly  declaring,  "  If  Luke  had 
not  been  a  prophet  I  should  not  have  been  bom." 
You  doubt  the  inspiration  of  John.  He  says, 
u  By  this  you  shall  know  :  if  I  am  a  prophet 
there  is  a  child  born  to-day  at  such  a  place  in 
Africa,  by  the  name  of  Mark,  who  is  a  prophet 
too."  You  hasten  to  the  place,  and  find  the  child 
giving  abundant  proof  0/  miraculous  powers,   and 


3(M?  THE    SYSTEM  [lECT.  XII. 

constantly  declaring,  u  If  John  had  not  been  born 
a  prophet,  neither  should  I."  You  doubt  the  in- 
spiration of  Mark.  He  says,  "  By  this  you  shall 
know  :  if  I  am  a  prophet  there  is  a  child  born  to- 
day at  such  a  place  in  Asia,  who  is  a  prophet 
too."  You  hasten  to  the  place,  and  find  the  child 
giving  abundant  proof  of  miraculous  powers,  and 
frequently  saying,  "  If  Mark  had  not  been  born 
a  prophet,  neither  should  I."  I  ask  now  whether 
you  have  not  incomparably  more  evidence  of  the 
inspiration  of  Luke,  than  though  you  had  staid  at 
home  and  seen  him  perform  four  times  as  many 
miracles  as  he  did  ?  Have  you  not  incomparably 
more  evidence  of  the  inspiration  of  each  of  the 
four,  than  though  you  had  seen  him  stand  alone 
and  perform  four  times  as  many  miracles  as  he 
did  ? 

Let  us  now  see  the  result  of  the  whole.  Each 
doctrine  stands  supported  by  the  whole  body  of 
texts  contained  in  the  four  classes,  and  cannot  be 
shaken  while  either  class  is  allowed  to  have  a  lite- 
ral meaning.  And  being  strung  together,  both  by 
Scripture  and  reason,  in  an  indissoluble  chain,  as 
premises  and  consequences,  they  lend  each  other 
an  iniluence  to  fix  the  construction  almost  beyond 
calculation.  How  prodigious  then  is  the  proof  in 
favour  of  the  whole ! — in  favour  of  each  !  And 
now  I  ask,  who  can  bring  as  much  evidence  to 
support  the  opposite  tenets  ?  The  task  to  be  per- 
formed by  the  man  who  would  overthrow  one  of 
these  truths,  is  to  sweep  away  the  whole  of  this  im- 


I  K«T,  XII.]  APPLIED.  30i* 

mense  body  of  texts,  with  the  incalculable  influ- 
ence they  lend  each  other  to  settle  the  construction, 
and  leave  not  a  trace  of  the  system  behind*  He 
who  is  not  prepared  for  this  herculean  labour,  with 
half  the  Bible  meeting  him  at  the  threshold,  should 
beware  how  he  undertakes. 

I  cannot  quit  this  head  without  reminding  you 
that  these  are  the  truths  which  have  been  revered 
and  loved  by  the  great  body  of  the  Christian  Church 
in  every  age.  They  stand  conspicuous  among  what 
have  been  so  often  and  justly  styled  "  the  glorious 
doctrines  of  the  Reformation."  To  cherish  and 
«njoy  these  blessed  truths,  our  fathers  left  their  na- 
tive land,  and  planted  churches  in  this  howling 
wilderness.  For  these  the  New-England  churches, 
during  the  first  century  and  a  half,  would  have  shed 
their  blood.  And  however  unfashionable  and  pro- 
scribed they  may  now  have  become  in  a  small  dis- 
trict, these  are  still  the  doctrines  which  are  ardent- 
ly loved  by  four-fifths  of  the  churches  of  New- 
England  ;  which  are  held  as  corner-stones  by  the 
great  body  of  Christians  in  the  United  States,  and 
by  millions  and  millions  of  the  best  instructed  and 
most  heavenly  minded  men  throughout  the  world. 

II.     Every  system  which  rejects  these  four  doc- 
trines, is  "another  gospel." 

Far  be  it  from  me  to  question  the  piety  of  all 
who  on  some  of  these  points  have  confused  ideas, 
and  may  in  words  deny  them.  I  doubt  not  that 
many  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  through  the 
defect  of  light,  have  erroneous  conceptions  of  Elec- 
39 


306  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XI!, 

tion  and  Perseverance,  and  under  these  names  op- 
pose real  errours.  From  not  understanding  theo- 
logical terms,  they  deny  in  words  what  in  fact  they 
believe.  Others  have  better  hearts  than  heads,  and 
possessing  little  power  of  discrimination,  are  un- 
able, though  light  is  spread  before  them,  to  distin- 
guish so  far  as  to  dissolve  wrong  associations  of 
ideas  formed  by  early  prejudice  ;  and  while  they 
sincerely  love  some  of  these  doctrines,  continue 
very  inconsistently  to  deny  the  rest.  I  have  no 
reference  to  the  mistakes  of  such  ;  but  to  systems 
which,  with  a  dreadful  consistency,  reject  this 
whole  chain  ;  which  soften  down  the  representations 
of  human  depravity;  which  cast  away  Regeneration 
and  experimental  piety,  and  place  all  religion  in 
external  duties,  performed  with  natural  and  selfish 
feelings,  and  teach  men  to  hope  for  heaven  by 
only  cleansing  "  the  outside  of  the  cup  and — plat- 
ter ;"  which  deny  that  "  the  salvation  of  the  right- 
eous is  of  the  Lord,"  and  set  aside  that  eternal 
transaction  between  the  Father  and  the  Son  which 
is  the  only  foundation  of  the  Church  ;  which  c  in- 
stitute every  man  his  own  keeper,  and  give  him  a 
claim  to  say  when  he  arrives  at  heaven,  "  See,  I 
have  made  myself  to  differ*"  Such  systems  do 
not  stop  at  a  perversion  of  the  four  great  classes  of 
texts  which  stand  directly  under  the  four  doctrines, 
but  give  a  iiqw  interpretation  to  a  vast  many  pas- 
sages which  lend  a  collateral  influence  to  support 
these ;  and  in  their  attempts  to  accommodate  the 
Bible  to  the  opposite  errours.    twist  a  large  por- 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  307 

lion  of  (he  Scriptures,  and  the  most  vital  part  of 
them,  to  a  new  and  false  construction.  And  when 
they  have  gone  this  length  in  flittering  away  man's 
depeudance  on  grace,  they  are  just  prepared  to 
place  him  completely  upon  his  own  works,  to  deny 
justification  by  faith,  and  of  course  thvt  proper  in- 
fluence of  the  atonement.  Short  of  this  these  sys- 
tems never  stop.  And  when  they  have  gone  thus 
far,  there  is  but  one  step  to  a  denial  of  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  and  the  infinite  demerit  of  sin.  The 
next  step  is  universalism,  and  the  next,  infidelity. 
But  without  pushing  them  to  these  extremes,  it  is 
evident  enough  that  they  are  "another  gospeP 
from  that  which  comprehends  the  four  doctrines. 
They  have  scarcely  any  thing  in  common  with  it. 
The  God  which  they  present  is  not  the  same. 
(This  they  allow  and  maintain  when  they  are  not 
under  trial,  and  often  allege  that  the  God  of  Calvin- 
ists  is  a  tyrant.)  The  administration  of  His  go- 
vernment is  not  the  same  ;  the  work  of  the  Saviour 
is  not  the  same  ;  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  not  the 
same  ;  the  character  and  condition  of  man  are  not 
the  same  ;  the  terms  of  salvation  are  not  the  same  ; 
holiness,  the  vital  principle  of  all  religion,  is  not 
the  same.  The  whole  plan  of  salvation,  from  the 
first  counsels  in  heaven  to  the  completion  of  the 
work  in  glory,  is  altogether  changed, — changed  so 
as  to  be  exactly  accommodated  to  a  proud  and 
selfish  heart,  and  fitted  to  form  the  religion 

OF   A    GAY    AND     DISSIPATED     WORLD.        This    UCW 

gospel  leaves  "the  carnal  mind"  undisturbed,  and 


308  THE   SYSTEM  [LECT.  XIT. 

even  conceals  and  denies  iis  existence.  No  won- 
der indeed  that  it  finds  no  carnal  mind  rising  up  ii? 
its  way,  for  it  is  exactly  such  a  religion  as  the  car- 
nal heart  loves.  No  wonder  that  it  detects  no  "  en- 
mity against  God,"  for  the  god  which  it  exhibits  is 
precisely  such  a  one  as  the  selfish  heart  approves. 
No  wonder  that  it  calls  for  no  radical  change  of 
heart,  for  the  natural  feelings  of  man,  tutored  by  a 
few  moral  precepts,  are  precisely  what  pleases  it 
best. 

All  this  time  this  new  gospel  is  nothing  but  a 
system  of  enmity  against  the  true  God.  It  violent- 
ly resists  all  those  truths  in  which  the  real  cha- 
racter of  God  is  chiefly  expressed.  It  shows 
more  rancour  against  these  than  against  any  other 
set  of  reputed  errours.  Were  there  no  other  proof 
of  its  being  "  another  gospel/'  this  alone  would 
forever  settle  the  point.  A  Jew  may  establish  his 
synagogue  by  its  side,  and  it  looks  on  unmoved. 
A  Roman  Catholick,  a  Quaker,  a  Universal  is  t,  an 
infidel,  may  carry  on  his  worship  before  its  eye, 
and  it  tolerates  them  all.  But  let  these  doctrines 
and  their  kindred  truths  be  brought  forward,  and 
there  is  a  louder  outcry  than  at  all  the  rest.  I 
wish  to  speak  with  candour  and  tenderness,  for  I 
know  in  whose  name  and  cause  I  am  speaking ; 
but  I  should  belie  the  steady  voice  of  experience  if 
I  did  not  say,  that  this  other  gospel  shows  more 
rancour  against  the  truths  supported  in  these  Lec- 
tures, than  against  any  set  of  errours  on  earth, 
whether  infidel,   Jewish,  Mahometan,   or  pagan, 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  309 

It  would  rather  the  heathen  nations  should  remain 
at  the  temple  of  Juggernaut,  than  be  enlightened 
by  truths  like  these ;  and  hence  it  opposes  Mis- 
sions. It  regards  with  greater  displeasure  a  re- 
vival of  religion  upon  these  principles,  than  any 
of  the  dissipations  of  the  theatre.  It  treats  with 
more  kindness  and  cordiality  any  of  the  men  of 
the  world,  than  the  professors  of  this  religion ; 
even  while,  for  certain  ends,  it  stands  by  the  tombs 
of  our  Calvinistick  fathers,  and  sings  hosannas  over 
their  dust !     And  is  not  this  "  another  gospel"  ? 

III.  Allow  me  to  press  the  infinite  importance 
of  ascertaining,  by  deep  and  careful  examination, 
what  the  true  Gospel  is. 

You  have  often  read  in  your  Bible,  "  He  that 
ielieveth — shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned."  It  is  then  a  settled  point  that 
salvation  is  suspended  on  a  belief  of  the  Gospel. 
But  what  is  a  belief  of  the  Gospel  ?  Not  a  belief  of 
the  proposition,  that  on  the  pages  bound  up  in  a 
certain  volume  divine  truths  are  inscribed,  without; 
any  specifick  ideas  of  the  truths  themselves.  Much 
less  is  it  a  rejection  of  the  essential  parts  of  those 
truths,  and  a  belief  of  u  another  gospel."  On  the 
belief  of  the  true  Gospel  salvation  is  suspended, 
not  on  the  belief  a  false  one ;  on  the  acceptance 
of  the  true  Saviour,  not  on  the  acceptance  of  a  sa- 
viour as  different  from  the  true  as  a  creature  is 
from  God  ;  on  the  worship  of  the  t^ue  God,  not 
on  the  worship  of  a  being  decked  out  witfc  attri- 
butes, and  invested  with  a  dominion,  as  different 


310  rfce  system  [lect.  xx£ 

from  the  perfections  and  government  of  Jehovah,  as 
the  supreme  deity  of  the  Brahmins  is  from  the  God 
of  the  Bible.  It  is  capable  of  the  most  unquestiona- 
ble proof  that  every  cardinal  errour  in  religion  is  a 
misapprehension  and  misrepresentation  of  the  cha- 
racter or  government  of  God,  and  that  every  system 
of  errour  actually  supports  &  false  god.  It  is  equal- 
ly certain  that  enmity  to  the  essential  truths  in 
which  the  character  of  God  is  expressed,  is  enmi- 
ty to  God  Himself  If  then  idolatry  and  hatred 
of  the  true  God  arc  not  the  faith  on  which  salva- 
tion is  suspended,  a  system  of  cardinal  errours,  per- 
sisted in  after  light  is  displayed,  must  debar  from 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  If  he  who  merely  be- 
lieves not  "  shall  be  damned,"  what  will  become 
of  those  who  not  only  disbelieve  the  true  Gospel, 
but  build  a  false  gospel  on  its  ruins  ? 

It  becomes  then  as  important  as  your  eternal 
salvation  to  betake  yourselves  to  the  most  solemn 
and  diligent  examination  to  discover  what  the  true 
Gospel  is.  If  the  doctrines  supported  in  these 
Lectures,  and  their  kindred  truths,  really  constitute 
the  true  Gospel,  it  is  infinitely  important  for  you  to 
know  it.  But  I  fear  that  some  of  you  will  say, 
"i  These  articles  may  be  true,  but  my  religion  will 
do  as  well :  no  matter  which  is  right  if  we  arc 
only  good.v  Here  comes  out  that  dreadful  dogma, 
the  invention  and  trick  of  modern  infidelity, — - 
soaked   and   drenched    in   infidelity    to   the   very 

Core, THAT  IT  IS  NO  MATTER  WHAT  A  MAN  BE- 
LIEVES,   PKOVIDED    HIS    CONDUCT   IS   BIGHT.       This 


l.ECT.  XII.]  APPLIED)  311 

bantling  of  infidelity  has  been  foisted  into  the 
Christian  Church,  and  profanely  baptised  by  the 
name  of  Charity.  But  though  it  wear  a  Soci- 
niau  face,  it  has  an  infidel  heart.  It  has  nothing 
to  do  with  charity  but  the  name ;  for  "  charity/'  if 
yon  will  credit  an  apostle,  "  believeth  all  things," 
and  "  rejoiceth  in  the  truth. "*  If  this  coun- 
terfeit, hollow  thing,  which  dares  to  take  the  sa- 
cred name  of  Charity,  had  not  renounced  the  Bi- 
ble, it  would  have  known  that  erroiirs  in  faith  are. 
the  offspring  of  a  wicked  heart,  and  are  criminal, 
and  as  decisive  a  proof  of  irreligion  as  immoral 
practice.  What  else  can  be  the  meaning  of  a  hun- 
dred such  passages  as  these?  "He — upbraided 
them  with  their  unbelief  and  hardness  of  heart,  be- 
cause they  believed  not."  "  O  fools  and  sloiv  of 
heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken/' 
"  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  be- 
cause  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  condemna- 
tion, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  lov- 
ed darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds 
were  evil.  For  every  one  that  doth  evil  hateth 
the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light  lest  his  deeds 
should  be  reproved."  "  For  this  they  willingly 
are  ignorant  of."?  "'They — became  vain  in  their 
imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darken- 
ed." "Even  unto  this  day  when  Moses  is  read, 
the  vail  is  upon  their  hearty  nevertheless  when  if, 

*   1  Cor.  xiiJ.  6.  T. 


313  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

[the  heart?]  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be 
taken  away,"  "  Having  the  understanding  dark- 
ened,— through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  be- 
cause of  the  blindness  of  their  heart."  u  Why  do 
ye  not  understand  my  speech  ?  even  because  ye 
cannot  hear  my  word.  Ye  are  of  your  father  the 
devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do :  he 
was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not 
in  the  truth,  because  there  is  no  truth  in  him : 
when  he  speaketh  a  lie  he  speaketh  of  his  own, 
for  he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  it.  And  because 
I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not. — He  that  is 
of  God  heareth  God's  words :  ye  therefore  hear 
them  not  because  ye  are  not  of  God."  u  A  deceived 
heart  hath  turned  him  aside  that  he  cannot  de- 
liver his  soul,  nor  say,  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my 
light  hand  ?"  "  If — thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole 
body  shall  be  full  of  light ;  but  if  thine  eye  be 
evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  darkness." 
"  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all. 
If  we  say  that  we  have  fellowship  with  Him,  and 
walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth : 
but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  He  is  in  the  light, 
we  have  fellowship  one  with  another. — As  ye  have 
heard  that  antichrist  shall  come,  even  now  there  are 
many  antichrists. — They  went  out  from  us,  but  they 
were  not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they 
would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us;  but  they 
icent  out  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they 
were  not  all  of  us.  But  ye  have  an  unction  from 
the  Holy  One.  and  ye  knoiv  all  things,     I  have  not 


7.ECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  813 

written  unto  you  because  ye  know  not  the  truth,  but 
because  ye  know  it,  and  that  no  lie  is  of  the  truth. — 
Let  that  therefore  abide  in  you  which  ye  have  heard 
from  the  beginning.  If  that  which  ye  have  heard 
from  the  beginning  remain  in  you,  ye  also  shall 
continue  in  the  Son  arid  in  the  Father. — These 
tilings  have  I  written  unto  you  concerning  them 
that  seduce  you.  But  the  anointing  which  ye  have 
received  of  Him  abideth  in  you;  and  ye  need  not 
that  any  man  teach  you,  but  as  the  same  anointing 
tcacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no 
lie,  and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide 
in  Him. — "Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but 
try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God;  because 
many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world. 
— They  are  of  the  world  ;  therefore  speak  they 
of  the  world,  and  the  world  heareth  them:  we  are 
of  God  ;  he  that  know  eth  God  heareth  us;  he  that 
is  not  of  God,  heareth  not  us :  hereby  know  we 
the  spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  errour."  "  I  re- 
joiced greatly  that  I  found  of  thy  children  walking 
in  the  truth,  as  ice  have  received  a  commandment 
from  the  Father  ; — whom  I  love  in  the  truth,  and 
not  I  only,  but  all  they  that  have  known  the  truth; 
for  the  truth's  sake  which  dwelleth  in  us,  and 
shall  be  with  us  forever/7  u  I  rejoiced  greatly 
when  the  brethren  came  and  testified  of  the  truth 
Jhat  is  in  thee,  even  as  thou  walkest  m  the  truth. 
I  have  no  greater  joy  than  to  hear  that  ray  chil- 
dren walk  in  truth.'1  ••'lie  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself:  he  that 
10 


314,  THE    SYSTEM  [lECT.  ill. 

believeth  not  God  hath  made  Him  a  liar.-  "  This 
is  His  commandment,  that  you  should  believe  on 
the  name  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ."  "  If  any 
man  will  do  His  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  my- 
self." "  Therefore  speak  I  to  them  in  parables. 
because  they  seeing  see  not,  and  hearing  they  hear 
not,  neither  do  they  understand.  And  in  them  is 
fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Esaias,  which  saitb,  By 
hearing  ye  shall  hear  and  shall  not  understand, 
and  seeing  ye  shall  see  and  shall  not  perceive  ; 
for  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their 
ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they 
closed,  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  under ^ 

STAND  WITH  THEIR  HEART,  aild  should  he  con- 
verted.— When  any  one  heareth  the  word  and 
under 'standeth  it  not, — this  is  he  which  receiv- 
ed seed  by  the  way-side. — But  he  that  received 
seed  into  the  good  ground,  is  he  that  heareth  the 
word  and  under  standeth  it."  "  Perceive  ye  not 
yet?  neither  understand?  have  ye  your  heart  yet 
hardened?"  ''Be  ye  not  unwise,  but  understand- 
ing what  the  will  of  the  Lord  is."  "  God  gave 
them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind, — being  filled 
with  all  unrighteousness,— without  understanding." 
"The  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an 
understanding  that  we  may  know  Him."  "  If  our 
Gospel  be  hid  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost ; 
in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
minds  of  them  which  believe  not."     "In  which 


LJECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  315 

are  some  things  hard  to  be  understood,  which  they 
(hat  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they 
do  the  other  Scriptures,  unto  their  own  destruc- 
tion. Ye  therefore,  beloved,  seeing  ye  know  these 
things  before,  beware  lest  ye  also,  being  led  away 
by  the  err  our  of  the  wicked,  Ml  from  your  own 
steadfastness."  "For  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusion  that  they  should  believe  a 
lie,  that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed 
not  the  truth  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteous- 
ness." "The  heart  of  the  wise  teacheth  his  mouth, 
and  addeth  learning  to  his  lips. — There  is  a  way 
that  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  there- 
of arc  the  ways  of  death."  "  Whosoever  transgres- 
seth  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath 
not  God ;  he  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of  Christy 
he  hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If  there  come 
any  unto  you  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive 
him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God 
speed  ;  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  jmr- 
taJcer  of  his  evil  deeds."  "  Henceforth  be  no  more 
children  tossed  to  and  fro  and  carried  about  with 
every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  ..[eight  of  men,  and 
cunning  craftiness  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive." "Be  not  carried  about  with  divers  and 
strange  doctrines,  for  it  is  a  good  thing  that 

THE      HEART      BE       ESTABLISHED      WITH      GRACE." 

"For  the  time  will  come  when  they  will  not  endure 
sound  doctrine  ;  but  after  their  own  lusts  shall 
they  heap  to  themselves  teachers,  baving  itching 
ears  :  and  they  shall  turn  away  their  cars  from 


316 


THE  system: 


[lect.  fcn* 


the  truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto fables J3  "The 
works  of  the  flesh — arc  heresies."  "A  man  that 
is  a  heretick,  after  the  fifst  and  second  admonition 
reject  ;  knowing  that  he  that  is  such  is  subverted 
and  sinneth,  being  condemned  of  himself."  "  There 
iriust  he — heresies  among  you,  that  they  which  arc 
approved  may  be  made  manifest."  "  There  were 
false  prophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as  there 
shall  I)e  false  teachers  among  you,  who  privily 
shall  bring. in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying 
the  Lord  that  bought  them,  and  bring  upon 
themselves  swift  destruction.  And  many  shall 
follow  their  pernicious  ways,  by  reason  of  whom 
the  iv •ay  of  i ruth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of; — whose 
judgment  now  of  a  long  time  lingereth  not,  and 
their  damnation  slumbereth  not."* 

If  these  and  many  more  similar  texts  do  not 
decide  the  point  that  errours  are  both  hlamable  and 
destructive,  it  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  prove  any 
thing  from  the  Bible.  Indeed  if  a  denial  of  one 
half  of  the  truths  of  Christianity  is  not  criminal,  no 
reason  can  be  given  Why  downright  infidelity  is. 
And  if  infidelity  is  not,  why  did  our  Saviour  say 
to  the  Jews,  "  If  ve  believe  not  that  I  am  lie.  ve 
shall  die  in  your  sins'*  ?    And  why  were  the  Jews 

*  Prov.  XvL  23,  25.  Isai.  xliv.  20.  Mat  vi.  22,  23.  avid  xiii.  13—1.), 
19,  23.  Mark  viii.  17.  and  xvi.  14.  1/ike  xxiv.  25.  John  iii.  18—20. 
and  vii.  17.  and  viii.  43—45,  47.  Bom.  i.  21,  28,  29,  31.  1  Cor.  xi.  19>. 
2  Cor.  iii.  15,  16.  and  iv.  3,  4.  Gal.  v.  19,  20.  Eph.  iv.  14,  13.  and  v. 
17.  2  ties.  ii.  11,  12.  2  Tim.  iv.  3,  4.  Tit.  iii.  W,  11.  Heb.  xiii.  9. 
2 Pet.  ii.  1—3.  and  iii.  5,  16,  IT.  1  .John  i.  5—7.  and  ii.  18—27.  and  iii, 
23.  aud  iv.  H  5,  6.  and  v.  10,  20.    2  John  1,  2,  4,  9—11.    3  JclHi  3,  ^ 


LECT.  XII.]  AI'PLIED.  317 

" :  broken  off*'  and  so  dreadfully  punished  for  "tta- 
belief"?  And  why  is  it  said  to  all  nations,  "  He 
that  belie vcth  not  shall  be  damned'''  ?  And  will  you 
after  all  say  that  a  man  is  not  answerable  for  his 
faith  ? 

This  point  being  settled,  it  is  manifest  that  if 
the  four  doctrines  which  have  been  supported  do 
in  truth  belong  to  the  Gospel,  the  opposite  crrours, 
to  say  the  least,  must  endanger  your  salvation. 
What  language  then  can  express  the  infinite  im- 
portance of  entering  without  delay  on  a  deep  and 
solemn  examination  into  these  matters?  It  is  truly 
distressing  to  observe  the  dreadful  indifference 
which  prevails  on  the  question,  What  is  truth  ? 
Hence  the  lamentable  ignorance  of  people  who 
have  been  brought  up  under  the  light  of  the  Gos- 
pel. Such  indifference  had  not  Paul  when  he 
said,  and  with  an  emphasis  repeated,  <• : Though  we. 
or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel. 
— let  him  be  accursed."  This  baleful  indiffer- 
ence, couched  under  the  imposing  name  of  Charity. 
threatens  to  yield  up  the  last  fragment  of  truth 
which  we  received  as  a  legacy  from  our  fathers, 
and  to  leave  our  poor  children  without  inheritance, 
— except  those  delusions  which  will  drown  them 
in  perdition.  If  any  thing  is  likely  to  cut  off  our 
children  from  hope,  it  is  this  cruel  indifference : 
for  if  you  can  once  be  brought  to  feel  the  impor- 
tance of  examining  with  earnestness  and  prayer, 
there  is  no  fear  for  the  issue.  If  then  you  have 
any  compassion  for  your  children,  throw  off  (Li- 


318  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII; 

apathy,  and  like  the  noble  Bereans  arise  and 
search  the  Scriptures.  In  them  you  will  find  a 
confirmation  of  the  faith  of  our  fathers,  and  will 
hear  them  say,  "  Stand  ye  in  the  ways  and  see, 
and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good 
way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for 
your  souls. "*  Every  friend  of  the  Church,  every 
friend  of  society,  every  friend  of  the  rising  genera- 
tion, ought  to  give  no  sleep  to  his  eyes  nor  slumber 
to  his  eye-lids  till  he  lias  examined  these  first  prin- 
ciples to  the  bottom,  and  become  well  grounded 
and  settled  in  the  truth.  Drop  every  other  con- 
cern, forget  your  business,  forget  your  sleep,  for- 
get your  food,  till  these  questions  are  decided.  O 
that  there  were  a  voice  to  send  this  heavenly  man- 
date through  every  heart,  "  Search  the  Scrip- 
tures." If  you  find  not  there  the  doctrines  which 
I  have  set  forth,  reject  them  :  I  charge  you  upon 
your  peril,  reject  them.  God  forbid  that  I  should 
wish  to  impose  my  creed  upon  you.  Call  no  man 
master ;  but  examine  the  Scriptures  for  yourselves. 
It  is  they  who  by  business  and  amusements  are 
detained  from  their  Bibles,  that  drink  in  the  poi- 
sonous errours  of  the  day.  With  all  the  boast  that 
is  made  of  Biblical  learning,  it  is  a  thing  perfect- 
ly understood  in  the  churches  that  there  is  little 
knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God  among  the  cor- 
rupters of  the  Gospel.  How  should  it  be  other- 
wise? The  way  is  there  so  plainly  drawn  that  he 
who  runs  may  read,  and  "  the  way-faring  men, 

*    Jr»3\  V).    1(\ 


.LECT.    XII.]  APPLIED.  3 1  V) 

though  fools,  [need]  not  err  therein;"*  Any  plain, 
unlettered  Christian  who  uses  his  Bible  faithfully, 
may  be  led  into  all  truth,  without  the  aid  of  learn- 
ed sophistry  or  boasting  ignorance. 

Were  there  but  one  chance  in  a  thousand  that 
these  doctrines  will  prove  true  at  last,  no  man, 
bound  to  the  eternal  Judgment,  ought  to  rest  till 
lie  has  explored  them  to  the  bottom.  For  if  they 
do  prove  true,  and  you  venture  forward  into  eter- 
nity upon  the  ground  of  a  heartless  morality,  you 
are  as  certainly  lost  as  though  you  were  infidels. 
While  you  have  the  sure  testimony  of  God  in  your 
hands,  rest  not, — I  conjure  you  by  all  that  is  sa- 
cred, rest  not  your  eternal  all  upon  a  doubtful 
basis. 

One  evil,  never  enough  to  be  deplored,  is  that 
people  do  not  and  will  not  distinguish.  They  are 
pleased  with  different  preachers  who  bring  as  dif- 
ferent gospels  as  the  koran  is  different  from  the 
Bible.  They  are  as  ready  to  put  themselves  in 
the  way  of  hearing  errour  as  truth,  and  swallow 
down  whatever  comes,  provided  only  it  is  grace- 
fully administered.  Such  people  are  like  children 
rushing  into  an  apothecary's  shop,  and  tasting  at 
random  of  every  vial,  without  the  power  of  dis 
tinguishing  medicines  from  poisons.  It  requires 
no  spirit  of  prophecy  to  perceive  that  such  a  course 
is  likely  to  prove  fatal.  If  the  doctrines  supported 
in  these  Lectures  are  the  truths  of  God,  then  those 
ministrations  which  soften  down  the  represented 

*  fori,  xxxr  8.    Hub  ii.  2. 


320  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

tions  of  human  depravity,  which  reject  the  Scrip- 
tural idea  of  Regeneration,  and  place  all  religion 
in  external  duties,  performed  with  natural  feelings 
a  little  improved,  are  certainly  leading  men  to 
'perdition,  and  ought  to  he  shunned  as  one  of  the 
severest  scourges  ever  inflicted  hy  heaven  on  a  de- 
generate people.  I  feel  myself  bound  to  oiler  this 
solemn  testimony,  and  I  do  it  without  personal 
disrespect  to  any  man  ;— whoever  preaches  "  ano- 
ther gospel"  ought  not  to  be  heard  a  moment. 
By  hearing  you  countenance  errour,  and  hold  up 
hands  stretched  out,  (however  unintentionally,)  to 
scatter  death  ;  you  expose  yourselves  to  contagion, 
and  hy  a  fatal  example  lead  your  undiscerning 
children  in  the  road  to  eternal  ruin.  Parents  who 
do  this  must  answer  it  to  God.  Would  Paul  have 
done  this  when  he  fervently  pronounced,  "Though 
we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other 
gospel, — let  him  be  accursed"?  Would  John  have 
done  this  when  he  said,  "If  there  come  any  unto 
you  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him  not 
into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed;  for 
he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of 
his  evil  deeds"  P  The  blessed  martyr  Irenseus, 
who  lived  in  the  age  immediately  after  the  apos- 
tles, has  preserved  the  following  anecdotes  of  the 
beloved  disciple,  and  of  Polycarp,  6i  the  angel  of 
the  church  of  Smyrna,"  who  is  so  highly  com- 
mended in  the  Revelation  :  "  There  are  some 
now  living,"  says  he,  "who  heard  [Polycarp] 
relate  this  fact;    that  John,   the   disciple  of  our 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  321 

Lord,  going  to  bathe  at  Ephcsus,  and  seeing  Ce- 
rinthus  within,  [who  among  other  things  held, 
with  modern  Socinians,  that  Jesus  was  only  the 
son  of  Joseph  and  Mary,*~\  leaped  from  the  bath 
unwashed,  saying  that  he  was  afraid  the  batli 
would  fall,  as  Cerinthus  the  enemy  of  truth  was 
in  it.  And  Polycarp  himself  replied  to  Marcion. 
who  met  him  one  day  and  said,  Do  you  know 
me  ?  I  know  you  to  be  the  first-born  of  Satan. 
So  much  fear,"  continues  Irenseus,  "  had  the  apos- 
tles and  their  disciples  of  communicating  even  in 
word  with  any  of  those  who  corrupted  the  truth ; 
as  Paul  also  said,  A  heretick  after  one  admoni- 
tion avoid,  knowing  that  he  that  is  such  is  sub- 
verted, and  is  condemned  of  himself,  "f  The  ge- 
nuineness of  this  record  is  fully  confirmed  by  its 
being  not  only  found  in  the  Works  of  Irenseus,  but 
quoted  also  by  Eusebius.J  Polycarp,  you  must 
know,  was  the  disciple  of  John,  and  was,  as  Irenseus 
himself  remarks,  "  not  only  taught  by  the  apostles, 
and  conversant  with  many  of  those  who  had  seen 
our  Lord,  but  constituted  by  the  apostles  in  Asia 
bishop  of  the  church  of  Smyrna,"  and  in  extreme 
old  age  gloriously  suffered  martyrdom.  J  Irenseus 
himself  was  the  disciple  of  Polycarp.  He  was 
born  in  Asia,  near  where  John  lived  and  died,  and 
afterwards  became  bishop  of  Lyons  in  France.     In 

*  Irenxi  lib.  1.  contra  Haereses,  cap.  26. 
f  Idem  lib.  3.  cap.  3. 

7  Ecch  Hist.  lib.  3.  cap.  23.  &  lib.  4.  cap.  14 
naei  lib   3.    :oi  tra  fferests,  cap.  3. 

H 


332  THE   svstem  [lect.  XII. 

his  Epistle  to  Florinus,  written  in  liis  old  age,  he 
says,  "  I  saw  you  when  I  was  yet  a  boy  in  the 
lesser  Asia  with  Poly  carp. — For  the  things  which 
were  then  done  I  remember  better  than  those  which 
have  happened  lately  ; — insomuch  that  I  could 
even  describe  the  place  where  the  blessed  Poly- 
carp  used  to  sit  and  reason,  and  his  going  out  and 
coming  in,  and  his  manner  of  life,  and  bodily  ap- 
pearance, and  finally  the  discourses  which  he  de- 
livered to  the  multitude,  and  how  he  told  them  of 
his  familiar  intimacy  with  John,  and  with  the  rest 
who  had  seen  the  Lord,  as  also  how  he  rehearsed 
their  sayings,  and  related  the  things  which  he  had 
heard  of  them  respecting  the  Lord,  and  His  mira- 
cles, and  doctrine,  which  Polycarp  had  received 
from  those  who  had  themselves  seen  the  Word  of 
Life. — These  tilings  which  happened  at  that  time, 
through  the  goodness  of  God  I  eagerly  heard,  wri- 
ting them  not  on  paper,  but  in  my  heart,  and  con- 
tinually, through  the  grace  of  God,  am  revolving 
them  with  exactness  in  my  mind.  And  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God  I  can  make  the  solemn  protestation, 
that  that  blessed  and  apostolick  presbyter,  had  he 
heard  any  such  thing,  would  certainly  have  ex- 
claimed, and  with  his  ears  stopped  would  have 
said,  as  his  manner  was,  Good  God  !  to  what  times 
hast  thou  reserved  me  that  I  should  endure  these 
things  !  and  would  have  fled  from  the  place  itself, 
in  which  sitting  or  standing  he  should  have  heard 
discourses  of  this  sort."* 

*  Irensci  opera  p.  339,  340.    Paris.  Ed.  1710, 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIES.  323 

Such  was  the  spirit  of  the  primitive  Church, — 
of  apostles  and  martyrs.  But  we  are  fallen  on 
other  times, — on  times  when  it  has  become  an 
unpardonable  offence  to  frown  at  heresy,  much 
more  to  separate  from  those  who  preach  "  another 
gospel.*'  They  who  have  no  wish  to  give  offence 
or  pain,  but  dare  not  for  their  lives  place  them- 
selves and  their  dear  children  under  the  sound  of 
u another  gospel" /or  a  single  day,  must  be  hunted 
out  of  the  world  because  they  do  not  grow  to 
seats  which  resound  with  nothing  else.  They  hear 
a  voice  from  heaven,  "  Come  out  from  among  them 
and  be  ye  separate, — and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing ;"  and  they  fear  to  disobey.  Let  this  be 
their  apology  and  justification  with  all  who  have 
not  renounced  the  Christian  name.  Indeed  this 
separation  had  become  indispensable.  Were  all 
the  people  to  go  on  together  a  few  years  longer, 
the  whole  mass  would  be  carried  down  the  stream, 
and  all  the  rising  generation  inevitably  plunged 
into  the  gulph  beneath.  They  have  already  kept 
together  so  long,  under  a  false  notion  of  charity, 
that  even  good  people  have  almost  lost  the  power 
of  discrimination.  This  alliance  between  light 
and  darkness  is  just  as  the  enemy  of  God  and  man 
would  have  it.  It  is  the  master-piece  of  his  policy 
to  root  out  the  last  remains  of  the  piety  and  faith 
of  our  fathers. 

Before  I  conclude  I  must  bespeak  your  most 
solemn  attention  to  a  few  Refections,  1  pray  you 
to  listen  for  a  moment  with  no  ordinary  concern. 


324*  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XII. 

I  have  something  to  lay  before  you  which  is  of 
more  vital  importance  to  you  than  any  other  consi- 
derations on  earth. 

If  these  four  doctrines  are  eternal  truths,  what 
is  to  become  of  the  greater  part  of  my  hearers  ? 
Are  half  of  you  upon  these  principles  prepared  for 
Judgment  ?  If  these  doctrines  are  true,  every  one 
of  you  must  be  born  again  or  lie  down  in  ever- 
lasting sorrows.  Neither  your  morality  nor  your 
indifference  will  screen  you.  Have  you  been  bom 
again  ?  You  are  going  on  to  eternity  as  fast  as 
time  can  waft  you.  The  interposition  of  a  world 
could  not  retard  your  progress.  Presently  you 
will  tremble  on  a  dying  bed.  tire  you  prepared 
for  Judgment  P  Those  very  eyes  will  see  a  fall- 
ing universe.  Those  very  feet  will  stand  before 
the  tribunal  of  Christ.  I  see  the  heavens  opening, 
the  Bon  of  man  descending,  the  dead  arising,  the 
world  burning,  and  my  dear  hearers  before  the 
bar  !  Where  now  is  that  thin  morality  that  co- 
vered an  infidel  heart  ?  The  omniscient  eve  has 
dissolved  it  by  a  look.  I  stretch  forward  my 
thoughts  through  the  revolutions  of  a  thousand 
ages,  and  find  my  hearers  still  fixed  in  heaven  or 
hell.  I  wander  through  oilier  periods  as  nume- 
rous as  the  moments  in  the  first,  and  still  I  find 
you  fixed  in  heaven  or  hell.  Is  such  an  eternity 
before  you  !  and  are  you  asleep  !  Arc  you  not 
bringing  all  your  powers  into  one  effort  "  to  make 
your  calling  and  election  sure"  ?  Can  you  slum- 
ber with  such  an  eternity  before  you  ?  Dreamiiu^f 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  355 

the  efficacy  of  your  modes  and  forms  !  Dream  no 
more  :  you  must  undergo  a  radical  change  of  heart. 
"Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  [you,]  except  a  man  be 
born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 
How  could  such  hearts  as  some  of  you  possess  be 
happy  in  heaven  if  admitted  to  the  place  ?  hearts 
that  do  not  love  prayer,  that  do  not  love  the  Bible, 
that  do  not  love  Sabbaths,  nor  the  society  of  God's 
people.  Will  cleansing  the  outside  prepare  such 
hearts  to  relish  an  eternal  illustration  of  Bible 
truths?  to  relish  a  confinement  to  religious  com- 
pany, and  the  devotions  of  an  everlasting  Sab- 
bath ?  As  well  might  the  languid  invalid  who 
loathes  his  food,  think  to  prepare  himself  for  a 
feast  bv  chan^ins;  his  coat. 

If  these  four  doctrines  are  everlasting  truths, 
then  every  one  of  you  who  has  not  been  born  again, 
is  at  this  moment  an  enemy  of  God,  and  lying  un- 
der the  sentence  of  eternal  death  ! — bending  under 
the  curse  of  the  Almighty  when  you  go  out  and 
when  you  come  in,  when  you  rise  up  and  when 
you  lie  down.  And  can  you  sport  and  be  merry 
as  though  all  was  well?  Is  this  the  time  for  gaiety 
and  mirth  ?  Is  it  not  the  time  to  mourn,  and  weep, 
and  break  your  hearts  ? 

But  alas  !  you  will  not  weep.  You  have  utter- 
ly ruined  the  temper  of. your  minds,  and  are  so  im- 
placable in  your  opposition  to  God,  that  nothing 
but  His  invincible  power  can  break  your  hearts. 
This  completes  your  ruin,  and  casts  you  wholly 
dependant  on  His  sovereign  will.     On  that  will, 


32(5  THE    SYSTEM  [LECT.  XM. 

which  all  creation  cannot  change,  your  salvation 
absolutely  depends.  I  press  this  point,  because  you 
must  feel  your  ruin  and  dependance  or  be  forever 
undone.  O  that  we  could  see  you  prostrate  at  the 
feet  of  Him  whom  you  have  made  your  enemy  by 
wicked  works,  deeply  convinced  of  the  justice  of 
your  condemnation,  and  that  no  other  will  or  arm 
can  save  you.  There,  while  crushed  under  infinite 
mountains  of  guilt,  and  sinking  into  eternal  de- 
spair, you  will  see  that  the  only  way  left  you  is  to 
cast  yourself  on  the  resources  of  the  adorable  Tri- 
nity ;  you  will  see  that  your  last  resort  is  sove- 
reign grace  ;  and  while  trembling  and  confounded 
before  the  uncovered  majesty  and  purity  of  God, 
you  will  see  how  much  you  needed  a  Saviour  ab- 
solutely divine,  that  the  sacrifice  of  a  creature 
could  not  have  answered  for  a  wretch  like  you. 
In  that  spot  I  heard  a  voice  !  "  Come  unto  me, 
poor,  trembling,  dying  sinner,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.  My  name  is  Jesus,  because  I  came  to  save 
my  people  from  their  sins."  Trembling,  dying 
sinner,  did  yon  not  hear  Him  ?  Why  then  not  arise 
and  ilee  into  His  arms  ?  Why  lie  there  and  die  ? 
He  means  you. — no  child  of  Adam  more  than  you. 
Why  do  you  linger  ?  Why  do  you  tremble  ?  The 
arms  that  are  extended  are  the  same  that  were 
stretched  on  the  tree.  Go,  and  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  give  you  the  desires  of  your  heart ! 

Thus  the  system  which  lias  been  supported 
in  these  Lectures,  brings  us  at  last  to  Calvary,  and 
points  to  the  cross  of  Christ,      It  is  a  circle  the 


LECT.  XII.]  APPLIED.  32/ 

centre  of  which  is  Christ  crucified.  Thus  may  all 
my  preaching  point  to  Him  alone,  and  honour  none 
but  Him !  There  would  I  leave  all  my  glory, 
thither  direct  all  my  praise.  Let  heaven  and  earth 
gather  round  this  beloved  name !  Of  all  creation 
let  this  be  the  song,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain"  !  To  Him  be  the  best  honours  which 
this  redeemed  world  can  rear !  to  u  Him  that  loved, 
us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own 
blood;"  "who  is  over  oJL  God  blessed  forever. 
Amen." 


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